University Mental Health Charter Impact Evaluation

Abstract

This report documents an evaluation of the University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) Programme and Award, funded by Student Minds from 2022-2024.

The UMHC Framework provides a set of evidence-informed principles to support universities to adopt a whole-university approach to mental health and wellbeing. The UMHC Programme brings together universities committed to making mental health a university-wide priority to share practice and create cultural change. The UMHC Award is a voluntary accreditation scheme that supports universities to understand areas of strength and development to inform ongoing improvement in mental health and wellbeing, recognising good practice along the way. The evaluation sought to explore the impacts of the UMHC Programme and related Award on participating UK universities and the higher education sector more generally. The overarching aims of the evaluation were to:

• understand the impact of the University Mental Health Charter Programme and Award on university culture, policies, process and practice and the lived experiences of staff and students
• understand the facilitators and barriers to change in university culture, policies, process and practice
• accurately describe the mechanisms through which participating in the UMHC Programme and Award can change university culture, policies, process and practice
• understand the impact of the UMHC Programme and Award on sector level discourse, practice, policy, research and other forms of enquiry.