The Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Expert Group supports and promotes the mental health of higher education students and staff.
The aim of the group is to increase collaboration between the different sectors, agencies and professional groups responsible for mental wellbeing in higher education.
They do this through hosting conferences and discussions, collaborating in research and occasional publications.
They aim to be a reference point for university and external providers to influence policy on issues related to mental wellbeing in higher education.
They are an independent group, initially housed at UUK and currently hosted by Advance HE. They work with Advance HE to support greater synergies between student support and welfare services and Teaching and Learning units.
Mental Wellbeing in HE Conference 2026
Date: 6 May 2026
Location: Hilton Liverpool City Centre
Delivered in collaboration with the Mental Wellbeing in HE Expert Group, this conference will address issues of mental wellbeing across all aspects of higher education.
Expert group membership
Members are drawn from organisations working directly with mental health and wellbeing in the higher education sector, including AMOSSHE, the NUS, Nightline, Heads of University Counselling Services (HUCS), BACP Universities and Colleges, the Student Health Association (SHA), the University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN), the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Advance HE.
Jane Harris
Co-Director of Student Welfare and Support Services and Head of Counselling
University of Oxford
Allie Scott
Co-chair of the MWBHE Expert Group, Chair-elect of HUCS (Heads of University Counselling Services) and Mental Health and Counselling Manager
University of the Highlands and Islands
Dr Dominique Thompson
GP, consultant and author
Laura Smythson
Head of Wellbeing and Welfare
University of Surrey
Dr Anna Matthews
Chair, University Mental Health Advisors Network (UMHAN)
Dr Afra Turner
Senior Counselling Practitioner and Supervisor
King’s College London
Professor Stella Chan
Charlie Waller Chair in Evidence-Based Psychological Treatment
University of Reading
John Cowley
Programme Director for Colleges and Universities, Charlie Waller Trust
Dr Joan O’ Mahony
Director of Academic Development
Bloomsbury Institute
Katie Endacott
Chief Executive Officer, Nightline Association
Sally Lambah
Head of student Support and Wellbeing
Prifysgol Wrecsam/Wrexham University
Catriona Keane
Chair of the BACP Universities & Colleges Division and is the Head of Student Health and Wellbeing and Counsellor at Magdalene College
University of Cambridge
Dr Elliott Spaeth
Senior Consultant in Inclusive Education
Advance HE
Publications
Student mental wellbeing in higher education: good practice guide (2015)
The 2015 good practice guidance examined student requirements and the increasing diversity of higher education provision emerging across the UK’s four nations. It highlights the following areas for consideration in developing institutional policies and procedures:
- National and international policy developments
- Duty of care and legal considerations
- Access to support, advice and guidance
- Provision of training, development opportunities and information dissemination
- Demand for institutional services versus external statutory services
- Liaison between internal and external, voluntary and statutory agencies.
Each institution is different, therefore their use of this guidance will depend on the makeup of the student cohort and the particular challenges the institution may face.
Conferences and events
In collaboration with Advance HE, the group hosts an annual conference to offer advice and support best practice for mental health and wellbeing professionals working in higher education
Our next conference is taking place on 6 May 2026, in person at Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
Contact us
Contact the Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Expert Group at mwbhe@advance-he.ac.uk
