Insight event: Improving student lives

This event explored the role of universities and colleges in tackling hate crime, harassment and mental health in higher education.

All students should enjoy a safe and fulfilling experience in higher education, with the support they need to overcome challenges. Mental ill-health is one of the most significant factors affecting student wellbeing, alongside incidents of prejudice, harassment and hate crime.

The second in our series of Insight events considered the role of universities and colleges in the student experience, focusing on these challenging issues. 

We have now published recordings from the event.

Introduction from Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of the Office for Students


Katie Tyrrell, panel chair and PhD student with research interests in applied psychology, including mental health and cyberpsychology


Supporting student mental health: Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind


Mental health: a campus or community challenge? Panel discussion

Chair: Katie Tyrrell, PhD student with research interests in applied psychology, including mental health and cyberpsychology.

Panellists:

  • Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind
  • Professor Mary Stuart, Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University
  • Rosie Tressler, Chief Executive of Student Minds
  • Professor Peter Francis, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Northumbria University.

Dr Ann Olivarius, founding partner of McAllister Olivarius and one of the most influential people in the history of Title IX, the US anti-discrimination law


Hate and harassment: how do we stop it? Panel discussion

Chair: Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education at law firm Shakespeare Martineau.

Panellists:

  • Dr Ann Olivarius, founding partner of McAllister Olivarius
  • Professor Osama Khan, Associate Dean at the University of Surrey
  • Martha Jephcott, Empowered Campus
  • Piers Wilkinson, Disabled Students’ Officer at the NUS.

Final thoughts - Nicola Dandridge


Student stories

At the event delegates also heard from three students who shared their experiences of managing their mental health conditions at university.

Amie's story

Joe's story

Annie's story

Related material

To coincide with the Insight event, we also published an Insight brief on mental health:

In the media

The Telegraph, the Independent and the Metro all covered the findings of our mental health Insight brief, highlighting the gaps in outcomes between students with declared mental health conditions and those without. The Independent provides additional analysis of the report in a separate article.

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