32 Universities lead the way in demonstrating commitment to mental health in joining new University Mental Health Charter Programme

Student Minds are delighted to welcome the first 32 universities to join the University Mental Health Charter Programme, demonstrating commitment to improving support for staff and student mental health in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Published in 2019, the Charter framework provides a set of evidence-informed principles to support universities across the UK in making mental health a university-wide priority. The Charter Programme brings together universities committed to working towards these principles to share practice and create cultural change. This includes a commitment to working with staff and students to provide adequately resourced and effective support services, as well as creating an environment and culture that reduces poor mental health and promotes good mental health for the whole university community.

Universities on the Charter Programme form part of a UK-wide practice sharing network with access to events and opportunities to come together to improve their approach to student and staff mental health. Programme members can also work towards the Charter Award, an accreditation scheme which recognises universities that demonstrate excellent practice.

With the mental health of students and young people being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, it is vital that we continue to build on the great work universities have done over the past 18 months, continue to learn from one another and make mental health and wellbeing a priority right across higher education. 

The Charter Programme was developed in consultation with staff and students, with initial funding from the UPP Foundation and the Office for Students and further funding from Jisc and the Charlie Watkins Foundation. We’d like to give special thanks to the University of Derby, Hartpury University and Glasgow Caledonian University, who supported us to pilot the Programme in 2020.

We are delighted to be working with the following 32 universities to create cultural changes on their campuses:
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• Arts University Bournemouth
• Aston University
• Bath Spa University
• Birmingham City University
• Canterbury Christ Church University
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• King's College London
• Kingston University
• Leeds Beckett University
• Leeds Trinity University
• Newcastle University
• Norland College
• Northumbria University
• Nottingham Trent University
• Plymouth Marjon University
• Teesside University
• University Centre Leeds (Leeds City College)
• University College London
• University of Bath
• University of Bedfordshire
• University of East London
• University of East Anglia
• University of Essex
• University of Gloucestershire
• University of Greenwich
• University of Lincoln
• University of Manchester
• University of Sheffield
• University of Southampton
• University of Sunderland
• University of the West of England
• University of Westminster

Joining the Charter Programme
There is still time to join the University Mental Health Charter Programme for 2021/22. Please apply on our website by September 1st 2021.