Ninth Level Ireland

“Everyone who has attended a third level institution has heard the same mantra, that the years you spend in university will be ‘the best years of your life’. We are fed a certain image of university life, replete with parties, close friendships, and time spent ‘finding yourself’. Of course, what is never shown is the reality of student life for the vast majority of students …” (more)

[Gavin Tracey, University Observer, 3 November]

“I am walking through Nottingham’s Arboretum park on a bright cold afternoon with 10 other people, all of us in complete silence. At first I find the whole thing so awkward I have to suppress an embarrassed laugh. But as we make our wordless way through the dappled shade, I feel an atmosphere of calm and thoughtfulness envelop us like a protective cloak …” (more)

[Moya Sarner, Guardian, 28 October]

“‘Budget 2018 should focus on improving mental health supports, and not on tax cuts’, says USI. The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is calling on the Government to invest in third-level mental health counselling services by ring-fencing €3m per annum to tackle future mental health crisis on campus …” (more)

[Daniel Waugh, Union of Students in Ireland, 9 October]

“In late 2013, I led a project evaluating how universities went about preparing the impact element of their submission to the 2014 research excellence framework. As was widely reported, we estimated that the monetised costs of preparing submissions across the sector was about £55 million …” (more)

[Jonathan Grant, Times Higher Education, 28 September]

“The recent UniversitiesUK #stepchange mental health in higher education policy states that: ‘The higher education sector should lead a national conversation on mental health. The sector should be bold, innovative, collaborative and inclusive’. In part, this is a response to the rise recorded in published HESA data of students whose experience of mental health problems forced them to end their studies …” (more)

[Richard Hall, Wonkhe, 6 September]

“Almost five times as many students as 10 years ago have disclosed a mental health condition to their university, say researchers. In 2015-16, more than 15,000 UK-based first-year students disclosed mental health issues, Institute of Public Policy Research analysis suggests …” (more)

[Judith Burns, BBC News, 4 September]

“The majority of people working at universities find their job stressful, and academics are more prone to developing common mental health disorders than those working in other professions, according to a systematic review of published work on researchers’ well-being …” (more)

[Holly Else, Times Higher Education, 22 August]

“There has been a surge in the number of undergraduates demanding special consideration during examinations due to mental-health issues. The Sunday Times has reported that the University of Cambridge approved requests for 218 students to have alternative exam arrangements last year – triple the amount of students allowed special measures five years ago …” (more)

[Frank Furedi, Spiked, 12 July]

“Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase funding for mental health services in third level colleges; and his views on the call by an organisation (details supplied) for a €3 million per annum ring-fenced budget for student counselling and supports …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 29 June]

“The UK student population has doubled in the last twenty years to almost two million. During this time, higher tuition fees have placed increased pressure on students – with a recent survey finding that 75% of students who receive a maintenance loan feel stressed about their debt …” (more)

[Lucy Winrow, The Conversation, 12 June]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is set to receive government funding to hire a mental health project manager who will lead a national research project into the mental health of students …” (more)

[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 12 June]

“On an autumn afternoon in 2009, I was fired from my job as a university lecturer. I hadn’t declared my schizophrenia on an application form and this was treated as gross misconduct. Many years later, I returned to the lecture theatre – but this time I was open about my condition, to a much more positive response …” (more)

[Guardian, 1 February]

“It all started with puppies and over the past few years there have been more and more unusual ways to help students relax during the stressful period of examinations. Beyond puppy rooms we have seen petting zoos, bubble wrap and colouring …” (more)

[Paul Greatrix, Wonkhe, 25 January]

“Depression is the leading mental health issue on college campuses in the US. In 2015, a survey of more than 90,000 students at 108 American colleges and universities found that during the previous year, more than one-third of them had felt so depressed at some point that it was difficult to function …” (more)

[Mi Zhang and others, The Conversation, 13 January]

“The number of third-level students seeking help with depression, anxiety, relationships problems and academic issues has reached unprecedented levels, according to counsellors working on Irish campuses …” (more)

[Sylvia Thompson, Irish Times, 10 January]

“Student mental health may be on the agenda, but some argue that support is uncoordinated and insufficient to meet rising demand …” (more)

[Hilary Lamb, Times High Education, 5 January]

“Obligatory training for academic staff and proper peer support should be put in place by all higher education institutions to help students with mental health difficulties, a new report recommends. Mental Health Matters : Mapping Best Practices in Higher Education said action was needed to tackle the increasing number of students experiencing such issues …” (more)

[The report is here]
[Elaine Edwards, Irish Times, 1 November]

“College fees, assignments, moving away from home – it should be no surprise that third level can be a stressful time for young people. The beginning of college marks a transitional period for students, and often represents the exciting beginning of adult life …” (more)

[Gráinne Loughran, Irish Times, 25 October]

“With the number of students seeking counselling on the rise, we asked you to tell us about your experience of dealing with mental health issues at university …” (more)

[Rachel Obordo, Guardian, 23 September]

“The number of students registering with mental health issues at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) has increased by 700% in the past four years. The sharp rise is regarded as a positive indicator that efforts to address the stigma surrounding mental health issues among young people are paying off …” (more)

[Mark Hilliard, Irish Times, 19 August]