The Higher Education Authority held the second health and wellbeing conference ‘A Whole of Institution Approach to Health and Wellbeing’ on June 5th at The Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane. The conference brought together staff across the higher education sector working on the implementation of the HEA Healthy Campus Charter and Framework and the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework.

Experts in campus health & wellbeing, mental health, health promotion and suicide prevention shared insights and provided guidance on effective implementation of these frameworks. Keynote speakers included Professor Mark Dooris, Emeritus Professor in Health & Sustainability at the University of Central and Professor Barbara Dooley, Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Psychology at University College Dublin.

Over 100 people attended including staff and student representatives from public and private higher education institutions, as well as representatives from the HEA Student and Staff Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group and colleagues from the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive.

 

Dr Ross Woods, Senior Manager Higher Education Authority:

“Health promotion is becoming a really important topic of conversation in university campuses, and it’s really key to supporting students in their journey through higher education. However, there’s also a responsibility to ensure that college campuses are settings that holistically promote health and wellbeing. In doing so, we can ensure that students are better placed to realise their potential in turn.”

 

Prof Mark Dooris, Emeritus Professor in Health & Sustainability University of Central Lancashire:

“There’s a strong tendency to equate health promotion with individual responsibility and self-help. The healthy settings approach, however, emphasises that individual and community action must be underpinned and supported by wider cross-sector policy, organisation development and advocacy for change”.

 

Prof Barbara Dooley, Dean of Graduate Studies & Deputy Registrar University College Dublin:

“Young people live in complex, ever changing worlds…..we need to equip students, our students, with the skills they need to navigate their way through difficult situations to achieve their potential.”

 

Conference 2024 Schedule

Speaker Highlights

Keynote Speakers

Two keynote speakers included:

‘Healthy Campuses: Mobilising for the Future Wellbeing of People, Place & Planet’

Prof. Mark Dooris, University of Central Lancashire

‘The complexity of student mental health: risk and protective factors’

Prof. Barbara Dooley, University College Dublin

Panel Discussion - 'A Whole of Institution Approach to Health & Wellbeing’

During the middle session, we held a panel discussion on ‘A Whole of Institution Approach to Health & Wellbeing’.

 

Panel members included:

Mary Anne O’Carroll, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology; Thomas O’Dowd, Dublin City University; Dr Celine Murrin, University College Dublin; Dr Emma Carroll, Dundalk Institute of Technology; Prof. Mark Dooris, University of Central Lancashire; Moderator: Martina Mullin, Trinity College Dublin

‘Celebration’ - Healthy Campus Case Studies

Over 25 case studies from institutions were displayed at the conference, covering a range of topics from mental health, embedding wellbeing into the curriculum, research into health related behaviours, and whole university approaches.

Projects & Updates

A number of projects were presented on including:

• ‘The Healthy Campus Evaluation Toolkit’ – Professor Catherine Darker, Trinity College Dublin
• ‘A Whole Campus Approach to a Healthy Campus’– Open Course funded by the National Teaching and Learning Forum – Dr Cuisle Ford, Trinity College Dublin
• Announcement of the 2025 International Health Promoting Campuses Conference – Dr Marie Connolly, University of Limerick

Lightning Talks - Mental Health & Wellbeing

The afternoon session included a range of lightning talk focused on mental health and wellbeing. Speakers included:

• ‘Implementing the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework at UCD’ – Niall Dennehy, University College Dublin

 

• ‘Curriculum and students, the only guaranteed point of contact – leveraging content and process for student success’ – Dr Eithne Hunt, University College Cork

• ‘Student mental health in University of Galway’– James McCormack, University of Galway

• ‘Enhancing Student Mental Health: From Evidence to Practice’, Dr Aleisha Clarke, Health Service Executive

Presentation Slides

Please find a list of presentation slides:

• ‘Healthy Campuses: Mobilising for the Future Wellbeing of People, Place & Planet’– Prof. Mark Dooris, click here
• ‘The complexity of student mental health: risk and protective factors’ Prof. Barbara Dooley, click here
• ‘The Health Campus Evaluation Toolkit’, Prof. Catherine Darker, click here
• ‘Implementing the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework at UCD’ – Niall Dennehy, click here
• ‘Curriculum and students, the only guaranteed point of contact – leveraging content and process for student success’ – Dr Eithne Hunt, click here
• ‘Student mental health in University of Galway’- James McCormack, click here
• ‘Enhancing Student Mental Health: From Evidence to Practice’, Dr Aleisha Clarke, click here

Photo Gallery