Student Minds receives funding from UPP to explore climate change and student mental health

Student Minds are delighted to announce our new research project exploring the impact of climate change on student mental health and wellbeing, which is being generously supported by the UPP Foundation. The UPP Foundation are ongoing supporters of Student Minds; previous projects they have funded include our Student Living report and the University Mental Health Charter. The findings of our research will be analysed and presented within a policy report, which we expect to launch in Spring 2023.

​Climate change and poor student mental health are two of the defining challenges of our era, yet there is minimal research exploring the relationship between these topics. Speaking to our Student Advisory Committee confirmed the responsibility students feel towards climate change and the worry they feel about their futures. 

“Thinking about climate change makes you hopeless for the future - but feeling hopeful for the future is so integral for good mental health” - Student Advisory Committee Member

There is a growing evidence base to suggest that climate change has significant impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of the general population. Despite this, research into the impact of climate change on student mental health, in particular, is scarce. 

This research will take a mixed-methods approach, drawing on a systematic literature review, semi-structured focus group interviews, and a survey to understand how students think about, feel about, and respond to climate change. We want to say a big thank you to all of those students who have already spoken to us about their views in a number of focus groups. We are also grateful to receive support and feedback from professionals across the health and higher education sectors in the development of this project.

Our hope with this report is that it will serve as a foundational piece of work for future researchers, students, policymakers and practitioners to further explore the relationship between climate change and student mental health, while also identifying key recommendations and areas of good practice. 

Rosie Tressler OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Student Minds, said:
“The climate emergency demands an urgent response, so we are delighted to be conducting this timely research, which centres student experiences. Our goal is to provide a strong foundation for future exploration into the relationship between climate change and student mental health. We are delighted to partner once again with the UPP Foundation to deliver this work. We hope the report will serve as a vital resource for all future researchers, policymakers, activists and professionals committed to tackling two of the biggest challenges facing our society today.”

Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation said:
“We received an unprecedented number of outstanding applications for our most recent funding round. We chose these brilliant projects as they either help universities address fundamental issues we are facing in society, or provide an innovative approach to supporting disadvantaged students succeed during their studies

“We expect that these projects will ignite great practice across the higher education sector and look forward to sharing their outcomes in the months and years ahead”

For more information about this research, or any of our other projects and publications at Student Minds, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].