The Growing Importance Of Mental Health Studies in Higher Education
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A university experience is often remembered through marks, degrees, placements and the friends students make along the way. But there is another part of those years that is not always discussed as openly. Students are also learning how to manage pressure, deal with disappointment, make difficult choices and become comfortable with a degree of independence.
For some, this transition is easy. For others, it can take time.
A student entering university may be dealing with a completely new routine. Classes may be more demanding than school, expectations are different and there may be pressure to decide what comes next even before a student has fully settled into campus life. Those living away from home have another adjustment to make. They are managing studies, daily responsibilities and personal relationships without the familiar support system they have grown up with.
These experiences do not automatically indicate a mental health problem. Feeling stressed, homesick or uncertain can be a normal part of growing up. The concern arises when a student does not know where to turn, or feels that asking for help will make them appear weak or incapable.
This is one reason mental health deserves a more visible place in conversations about higher education. India has a considerable burden of mental health concerns, while access to appropriate support remains a challenge. The National Mental Health Survey brought attention to both the prevalence of mental health disorders and the treatment gap. A university cannot solve this larger problem on its own, but it can make a difference in the lives of the young people who spend some of their most formative years there.
The first step is making support accessible.
At Lovely Professional University, the Department of Counselling and Happiness is part of the institution’s student support system. Having a dedicated space and professional support matters because students should not have to wait until a situation becomes serious before they feel comfortable seeking help. Sometimes, a conversation at the right time can help a student look at a problem differently or decide what kind of support they need.
There is also a larger role for the people around students.
A teacher may notice that a student who was usually active in class has suddenly stopped participating. A mentor may find that a student is struggling to keep up. A roommate or friend may notice changes much earlier than anyone else. These people are not expected to diagnose a problem. They simply need to know that a change in behaviour can be worth paying attention to, and that directing a student towards professional help is sometimes the most useful thing they can do.
The campus itself can also influence how students cope.
A university is not only a collection of classrooms and examination halls. Sports, cultural activities, clubs, student communities and informal interactions are all part of campus life. For many students, these spaces provide friendships and a sense of belonging. They also give young people opportunities to step away from academic pressure for a while.
That matters because students cannot be expected to perform well academically while treating everything outside the classroom as unimportant. A conversation with a friend, participation in a sport or simply having a group with which one feels comfortable can make a difficult period easier to manage.
There is another point that universities need to keep in mind. Supporting students does not mean protecting them from every uncomfortable experience.
Young people will fail. They will change their minds about careers. Some friendships will not work out. There will be difficult examinations, disagreements and decisions that do not go as planned. Learning to handle these experiences is an important part of becoming independent.
What students need is not a life without challenges. They need an environment where they can face those challenges without feeling that they have to deal with everything by themselves.
The workplace they eventually enter will demand much more than subject knowledge. Young professionals will have to adapt to new technologies, work with different people, learn new skills and deal with situations they may not have encountered before. The ability to ask for guidance, recover from setbacks and make sensible decisions under pressure will matter just as much as a qualification.
This changes the way we should look at student well-being.
Mental health support should not sit at the edge of university life as a service students approach only when something goes wrong. It should be part of the wider culture of the institution. Good teaching, approachable mentors, healthy peer relationships, opportunities beyond academics and professional counselling all have a role to play.
Ultimately, the purpose of higher education is not simply to prepare a student for the first job after graduation. It is also to help young people become more capable of handling the choices and responsibilities that come with adulthood.
A university that pays attention to both academic development and student well-being is better placed to create that kind of experience. Students should leave campus with a degree, but also with greater confidence in themselves, an understanding of when to ask for help and the ability to deal with the challenges that come next.
Views are personal
The author, Vishal Sharma, is Professor & Associate Dean, Head, Division of Student Relationship, Lovely Professional University
