New HEA Strategy for Student and Staff Health and Wellbeing

by | Jul 29, 2025 | strategy

In student mental health, wellbeing, and suicide prevention policy there are two main policy documents in operation since 2019. These are the Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework and the Healthy Campus Charter, and the implementation of both has been overseen to date by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Both policies sit well together, but there has been a need to figure out the best way to move forward in a way where both frameworks are implemented in a way that doesn’t cause overcomplications or problems. To that end the HEA in recent times have established a Student and Staff Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group, of which AMLÉ is a member, to advise the HEA on policy relating to this area generally; so not just limited to these particular frameworks, but to include them.

The new strategy has four priorities for the next 3-5 years:

  1. Drive a higher education system that supports student and staff wellbeing
    • high level support for health promoting campuses (i.e. HEI Presidents)
    • support for staff at all levels through relevant national fora and initiatives
  2. Identify national strategic goals for health and wellbeing in higher education
    • development of an evidence-based narrative around both mental health and health promotion in HE
    • development of timebound action plan for health and wellbeing
  3. Connect wellbeing to broader strategic goals in higher education
    • collaboration across agendas locally and nationally
    • alignment of work of health and wellbeing unit with other areas of work in the HEA
  4. Fund for health and wellbeing across the system
    • identification of funding priorities to support student and staff health and wellbeing
    • expansion of funding for health and wellbeing beyond mental health supports

With the recent Review of the Irish National Framework for Student success in Higher Education noting that “mental health is emerging as a cornerstone of student success”, it’s vital that student mental health and wellbeing remain a focus and priority for everyone in the higher education space.