Supporting PGR Mental Health and Wellbeing, 6 December (online)

Wednesday 6 December 2023, 14:00 - 15:30 (online)

UCL's Arena Centre and Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) co-host this session, which is open to all new and existing research supervisors. High expectations and workloads associated with a PhD can create an environment in which students experience heightened anxiety, isolation, and insecurity. Additional factors, such as working conditions or personal circumstances can also impact wellbeing.  UKCGE’s Good Supervisory Practice Framework emphasises the important role supervisors play in supporting student wellbeing and creating a healthy institutional and academic culture. This session is designed to help supervisors recognise indicators of mental health problems and potential triggers, understand the boundaries of their responsibilities and capabilities, confidently signpost PGR students to appropriate support, and be mindful of their own wellbeing and healthy working practices.  

In this workshop we will: 

• consider the links between positive mental health and academic success for PGRs and their supervisors
• understand the role supervisors can have in supporting PGRs’ mental health and wellbeing
• identify resources available to support PGR students and supervisors
• share good practice
• consider the importance of their own mental health and wellbeing and contribute to a healthy institutional and academic culture.  

Participants who have completed this course/session will be able to:

• Distinguish between the terms wellbeing and mental health
• Reflect on conditions in their research environment that may cause or contribute to poor wellbeing for researchers (staff and students) and recognise some of the signs and symptoms of poor wellbeing and poor mental health
• Reflect on their own wellbeing and healthy working practices (including identifying boundaries) as a model for creating shared values and practices in the research environment
• Use simple coaching strategies to develop confidence and competency in challenging conversations  
• Signpost postgraduate researchers and staff colleagues to relevant mental health and wellbeing services 

Who should attend

Research supervisors, education leaders, mid career.