皇家华人

About the听University Mental Health Charter听

罢丑别听听(UMHC)听provides a set of principles to support universities across the UK in making mental health a university-wide priority. It was developed by Student Minds and launched in 2019.听听

The UMHC听forms the basis of听a听Charter Award Scheme which will recognise and reward universities that promote good mental health and demonstrate good practice.听

Endorsed by The British Psychological Society and supported by Universities UK, the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Office for Students, the vision听of听the Charter and Award Scheme is for听鈥渁ll universities to adopt a whole-university approach to mental听health and听become places that promote the mental health and wellbeing of all members of the university community鈥�. (p.8,听)听

UCL intends to be among the first wave of institutions to apply for the Award听in autumn 2021,听at the end of its pilot phase.听听

A听whole-university approach to mental health听听

UCL鈥檚听application听for UMHC Award status听demonstrates听our听ongoing commitment to ensuring听our students are treated compassionately and understood as human beings, not听just听numbers (Objective 1 of Education Strategy:听Personalising Student Support).听听

Colleagues are already working hard to support the mental health and wellbeing of our community 鈥撎齮his application听is an opportunity to evaluate our听practice and听gain formal recognition for听our听achievements.听

To听gain听the highest level of accreditation,听we need to show that we are promoting good mental health and听demonstrate that our mental health support provision and wider practices are among the best in the sector.听Our application听must include听positive examples across all our faculties and central services.听

We hope that these efforts will not be a one-off exercise but rather the Charter Award scheme will provide us with a structured framework for measuring our progress and help us to continuously improve how we take care of our community.听

Achieving听the UMHC Award听听

UCL has convened a University Mental Health Charter Working Group chaired by Prof Anthony David (Director and Sackler Chair, UCL Institute of Mental Health) to lead our听submission for Charter Award status.听听

Over this summer, the听working听group听will听complete a听听where we听rate ourselves听against more than 200 questions,听arranged听under听seven听themes:听

Student Minds will听follow up with on-site visits during 2021-22,听before we are听awarded听a pass, merit or distinction.听听

罢丑别听group will also put forward a plan of action for implementation of any recommendations following our submission to the Award.听

UCL education and听mental health听

The Vice-Provost's Office for Education and Student Affairs will lead on gathering evidence for听the 鈥楲earn鈥櫶齮heme.听Our self-assessment address how听mental health is treated in curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment strategies, learning support etc. For example:听听听

• How does the听University ensure that the curriculum and pedagogy听encourages听a focus on deep learning, meaning, mastery and development?听听
• How does the听University understand the current learning experiences of students?听听

We鈥檒l be working closely with the other听theme听leads and colleagues from across UCL to rate听ourselves and听provide a narrative听and evidence听that supports the听rating.听

This process will help听departments听to听learn from each other鈥檚 ideas of how to听support wellbeing through the curriculum听and good pedagogic practice. We鈥檒l also be able to identify areas that need improvement and听investigate听ways to fix these issues.听听

Key contacts

For more information听the University Mental Health Charter and UCL鈥檚 application for the Charter Award,听please听contact Wes Durdle听in UCL Student Support and Wellbeing.听

For听questions on听the UMHC听鈥楲earn鈥� theme,听contact Leigh Kilpert听in the Office of the Vice-Provost Education and Student Affairs.听