Lightning Talks: Complexity Challenge & Bridging the Gap
Rosemary Chigevenga
Student mental health has become a global public health priority. Global reports indicate a rise in mental health conditions. International students in the UK experience unique challenges that may disturb their mental health like homesickness, culture shock, racial discrimination and language barriers. We are engaging in collaborative research with international students and university mental health support professionals in co-producing a culturally adaptive mental health support intervention for international students at a UK university. Our project has three phases. Initially, we have conducted discussions with students and interviews with relevant professionals to find out their views on existing mental health support. Findings from the first phase will lead to the second phase in which we will develop the intervention. The final phase will be for implementing the intervention and testing its feasibility. As institutions of higher learning, it is the duty of universities and other key stakeholders to ensure that they retain, protect and promote the well-being of all their students despite their diversity. We hope that this initiative will help the university in its endeavors to sustain mental well-being of all students giving the targeted students ownership and trust in the intervention which may make it effective.
Jamie-Marie McNulty - Seeing the Unseen: Why Whole University Approaches Must Embrace Neurodivergent Minds
As universities adopt Whole University Approaches to support student wellbeing, a critical question remains: how inclusive are these models of neurodivergent experiences? Drawing on data from the Youth Wellbeing NI Survey (2019; N = 1299; ages 11–19), this presentation explores the mental health and help-seeking patterns of young people now entering or engaged in higher education. Using an inclusive definition of neurodivergence—capturing those with formal diagnoses and probable ADHD and/or autism —the findings reveal significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, disordered eating, self harm and suicidal ideation among neurodivergent youth compared with neurotypical peers.
These results highlight a growing gap between need and provision—one universities are already inheriting. Generic wellbeing initiatives risk overlooking cognitive diversity, reinforcing structural barriers, and leaving neurodivergent students underserved.
This presentation will argue that to be genuinely “whole,” Whole University Approaches must embed neuroinclusivity across teaching, support, and policy. Through co-production, flexible design, and universal learning principles, universities can transform awareness into sustainable action—creating systems that recognise difference as a driver of innovation, not exclusion.
The Key takeaway from this presentation is that a ‘Whole University Approach’ must see, name, and include neurodiversity—because without it, “whole” isn’t truly whole.
James Sweeney - The mental health of students during the transition from secondary school to university on the island of Ireland
The transition from secondary school to university is a significant period during which students are at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties or exacerbating pre-existing conditions. The U-WELL project aims to explore students’ experiences of this transition through a longitudinal study identifying associated risk and protective factors and examining potential differences between students from Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Phase-1 established a pre-transition baseline of mental health and wellbeing among final-year secondary school students. Following ethical approval, 234 students (53.6% female) from NI and ROI schools completed an online survey (November 2024 - April 2025), incorporating validated measures of mental health and wellbeing.. Baseline findings indicated that 62.4% of students reported moderate-to-high levels of loneliness, while 18.8% reported moderate-to-high levels of anxiety symptoms, 18.3% reported moderate-to-high levels of depressive symptoms, and 13.5% reported moderate-to-high levels of stress. Planned follow-up with this cohort in late-2025 and mid-2026 will involve online surveys and qualitative interviews to further explore the transition and inform evidence-based strategies to promote student wellbeing during this pivotal life-stage. Baseline and follow-up findings will be presented, focusing on students’ mental health profiles and regional differences relating to differing educational systems.
Margaret McLafferty - U-WELL: A collaborative approach to university student mental health and wellbeing research on the Island of Ireland
Whilst some universities on the island of Ireland conduct mental health and wellbeing surveys, little collaborative work has been conducted to date, with different measures utilised, making it difficult to compare data. The U-WELL project aims to provide a better understanding of student mental health and wellbeing in Ireland. This initiative includes setting up a network (N=80) for those with an interest in student mental health research, and the development, promotion, and co-ordination of a large-scale, standardised, longitudinal survey. A pilot study was conducted in Autumn 2024 in three universities (ATU Donegal, UCC, Ulster University), with feedback obtained from student participants. Stakeholder engagement workshops were also conducted. Based on recommendations, a soft launch of the standardised survey commenced in Autumn 2025 across 12 campuses. The next step is to extend the roll out across university year-on-year. The overall aim is to create shareable resources such as documents for ethical approval and to establish a large-scale dataset which provides a broad picture of university student mental health and wellbeing across the island of Ireland. This will provide robust evidence-based data, related to student mental health, which will be of great benefit to students, educators, student wellbeing services, policy makers and clinicians.
Laura McGrogan - Evaluating ICare: A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Guided Online CBT Intervention for University Students with Depression and Anxiety
Mental health challenges are common among university students, yet many hesitate to seek professional support. The World Mental Health International College Student Initiative (WMH-ICS) aims to improve student mental health through data-driven interventions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a guided, online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program designed for students with mild/moderate depression and/or anxiety. Seventy-one participants were randomised to the control group (n = 36; treatment as usual) or the intervention group (n = 35; treatment as usual plus the web-based intervention). The intervention consisted of seven online CBT sessions with written facilitator feedback and a booster session four weeks later. Follow-up assessments occurred one week after the final session and six months later. Depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) scores significantly decreased, and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) significantly improved in the intervention group compared with control one-week post-intervention. However, these differences were not maintained at six-month follow-up. Findings indicate that guided online CBT effectively reduces depression and anxiety symptoms and enhances quality of life immediately after completion Integrating guided online CBT into university mental health services may help support students experiencing mild/moderate anxiety and depression.
Barbara Sherriff - Earning whilst Learning: University and Employer Collaboration
‘Earning whilst learning’ has become a regular ongoing feature of student life, with 68% of National Student Experience Survey respondents now reporting being in term-time work. Balancing long hours with studies can have a negative impact on student wellbeing, but supportive work can also bring benefits.
Students’ unions (SUs) employ an estimated 78,000 students across the UK, typically in entry-level bar and retail roles tailored to student needs. This research identified a range of wellbeing support provided by SU employers, and found that students employed by their SU were more likely to recommend their organisation as a good place to work, and to say that they got support and encouragement from people at work, when compared to students employed by their university, a small business, or a national business.
This talk positions SUs as experts in employing students in supportive entry-level work, and proposes collaboration between SU commercial services and university support services as part of the whole university approach to wellbeing
Brian McCabe - Better Drinking Buddies: Developing and testing an interconnected intervention to prevent sexual violence and reduce drinking
Sexual violence/assault and heavy drinking are interconnected on university campuses. Although many interventions are for either violence or drinking, few address both. We created and tested a group intervention called Better Drinking Buddies that combined evidence-based bystander training and brief alcohol intervention, i.e., to train students who drink to prevent sexual violence in drinking contexts, e.g., bars or parties.
40 heavy-drinking students (18-25 years old) completed one 2-hour psychoeducational group. Groups were feasible (100% of intervention content delivered in 2 hours), and acceptable (88% of students rated the group as good/excellent). Within ANOVA showed that from pre-intervention to post-intervention and 4-week follow-up, students had significantly increased violence knowledge, η2 = .36, and bystander attitudes, η2 = .11; as well as reduced alcohol consumption, η2 = .11, and perceived alcohol norms, η2 = .14.
This intervention has promising potential to reduce sexual violence by (1) moderating drinking behaviors of potential bystanders and (2) training strategies to use in a heavy drinking context. The single-session format is an efficient use of resources for university staff dealing with complex issues and often reduced budgets. Future research should evaluate this intervention in larger controlled trials with longer follow-up times and in other university settings.
Lorraine Groves - Who Are We Designing For? Reframing Digital Wellbeing Support During the Transition to University
Digital mental health and wellbeing interventions (DMHIs) are widely promoted as scalable, accessible ways to support university students, yet engagement and retention remain persistent challenges. Students face an overwhelming range of digital resources but often receive little guidance on which ones are trustworthy, safe, or relevant for “someone like me.” This challenge is particularly significant during the transition into university—a period widely recognised as critical for students’ wellbeing.
Drawing on my experience as a psychotherapist and my ongoing Design PhD research, this talk shares how digital wellbeing support can be reimagined as a curated, student-led digital layer with an emphasis on creating connected ecosystems of support that genuinely reflect students’ lived experiences, address their evolving needs, and respond to the real challenges they face as they transition into university life. This layer would sit over existing institutional and external resources, and focus on curating and connecting support, amplifying authentic student voices, and helping students find resources that have been meaningful to others with similar experiences.
Grounded in co-design and a student-focused, person-based approach — ensuring the digital layer is shaped by students’ real experiences and needs — it also considers how the responsible use of AI might help match students with resources that better fit their circumstances and preferences, rather than pushing generic, one-size-fits-all tools.
The aim is to reduce the burden on students of navigating a complex digital ecosystem alone, building trust in available support and simplifying access in ways that can have a profound and ongoing effect on student wellbeing even beyond transition.
Academics Against Assault
Academics Against Assault is a student-led campaign with the mission of spreading awareness of sexual violence at university and supporting survivors through their journey. Built from lived experience and a passion for helping other students feel safe, universities, AAA is based across 6 different universities. AAA runs bystander intervention workshops, lobbying in parliament to change policy, and sharing resources so students know what support is available. We have also collected data about student experiences to show the universities that it is a serious problem, and that survivors are more than just a statistic. AAA would love to share the outcomes of our student led training, and survey data to discuss how universities can support students in peer support capacities. This is part of a much wider conversation of university culture and how a collaborative approach is needed to help both student and staff survivors. This gives us the chance to speak with academics and service providers who can help us make real change.