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MindGuard goes to the 5th Global Conference on Education (GCEDU) at Imperial College London

Mental health issues among higher education students have become a key concern worldwide. Recognising early signs of distress is a critical challenge in academia, and the MindGuard project is bringing the answer closer to practice. Representing the Institute of Development (IoD), Eleni Xeni, Senior Researcher in the MindGuard consortium, proudly presented our finalised guide on the mental health and well-being of students and academic staff at the 5th Global Conference on Education (GCEDU), hosted at Imperial College London.

This extensive guide is the primary outcome of Work Package 2 (WP2), co-led by the University of Groningen and the Institute of Development. This work package deliberately aims to empower educators and staff to better support students facing mental health challenges. With more than 100 pages of practical guidance, the manual translates academic research into actionable support mechanisms.

Key features of the new MindGuard guide include:

  • 26 academic scenarios and real challenges of the university environment, alongside a minimum of 20 practical resources—including best practices, techniques, and case studies—for faculty and academic staff.
  • Step-by-step Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) tools to recognise early signs of distress and connect individuals with appropriate support, equipping academic staff with practical skills and strategies.
  • A structured framework for implementing preventative measures for mental health in academia.
  • User-friendly, comprehensive guidelines to support university educators and administrative staff (such as Welfare and Health & Safety Officers) in coordinating and implementing immersive Virtual Reality (VR) training within their educational settings.