Higher Education Student Support Champion Visits Worcester

England’s Higher Education Student Support Champion, Professor Edward Peck, the Vice Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University, spent a morning with University Leaders at Worcester to learn more about its engagement with students.

Professor Edward Peck was given a tour of the University before meeting with its senior leaders along with elected representatives from the Students’ Union for a roundtable discussion in his capacity of Higher Education Student Support Champion.

“It’s been great to hear about the work that the University is doing to support students, in particular those with mental health challenges,” he said. “The whole sector faces the same challenges and by working together as a whole sector we can drive solutions.”

The University of Worcester has a deep commitment to inclusion for those experiencing mental health challenges and has offered specialist wellbeing support to students since 2000. In 2004 it became one of the first universities in the UK to directly employ Mental Health Advisors.

The University plays a leading role in partnership with the National Union of Students and others to make universities and cities ‘suicide safer’ through early intervention. Its Suicide Safer initiative, launched in 2013, has broken new ground in tackling the stigma of suicide, creating greater awareness and contributing to suicide prevention and lasting change.

The impact of its work has been felt across the UK and beyond as more governments, education bodies, charities, agencies and other organisations find collaborative ways to work together prevent suicide.