Academic institutions must find new ways to support students

Greg Kovich

April 20, 2023

Mental health issues have reached a crisis point on campus. Schools must look beyond traditional counseling services to help students and faculty.

Crisis on campus

如果你没注意听的话, the state of 校园心理健康es has reached crisis levels. While students have always felt academic and social pressures, I’d venture to say that additional stresses including lockdowns, remote learning and social isolation have been piled onto existing burdens and pushed anxieties to the next level.

不仅仅是孩子们. “Mental health issues are affecting students of all ages , as well as parents and teachers.” This downward trend is also affecting students’ ability to complete their studies. Research suggests, “Students who struggle with mental health issues are twice as likely to drop out compared to other students. And many identify mental health issues as one of the reasons for discontinuing their studies. Perhaps, even worse than dropping out is the potential for harm to one’s self or others, 就像我们在新加坡看到的那样, where mental health issues pushed a student to extreme violence on campus.

一个世界性的现实

从全球来看，情况也好不到哪里去. 在最近对10个国家的调查中, “76 percent of students indicated that maintaining their wellbeing is a top challenge.”  As well, 在世界上的几个地区, the number of students with self-diagnosed anxiety and depression has reached an all-time high. For example:

• In Europe, 70 percent of heads of Universities say students’ mental health is their top concern

• In Australia, 93 percent of international students who were stranded overseas during the health crisis experienced significant mental health issues

•遍及许多亚洲国家, the majority of the online population reported the pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health

The severity, urgency and global nature of this situation is forcing academic institutions to think outside the box, to look for solutions beyond traditional counselling to help students and faculty address the reality of today’s campus life.

支持学生的新方法

Digital technologies that are easy to access and easy-to-use anywhere, anytime, 学生是否在校, 远程或其组合, are required. They will provide the foundation to deliver the comprehensive support services students need to enjoy better mental health and personal safety throughout their academic experience.

有了正确的策略和解决方案, these technologies can provide an ecosystem for mental wellness that opens new opportunities to:

• Create a more supportive and nurturing environment where students feel heard and understood

•融入火狐体育手机和其他同学

• Enable faculty to proactively reach out to students to interact with them, encourage participation and identify those struggling academically and personally

• Provide awareness of, and access to, resources to address food and housing issues

•帮助学生感到他们的人身安全受到保护

• Accelerate awareness of, and responses to, emergencies

Less stress means less illness and less time away from studies. The positive experiences and strong connections enabled by digital technologies and student-centric advocacy services provide the nurturing environment required for successful outcomes. A strong support system that gives students a better chance of staying in school means they can obtain their degree and get the job of their dreams.

查看我们最近发布的白皮书 校园心理健康 或了解更多关于ALE的信息 教育解决方案 are helping institutions find new ways to address today’s wellness challenges.