Agenda

Woburn Hall

Chair: Professor Sue Rigby, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Edinburgh Napier University

• Suzanne Carrie, Head of Student Equality and Welfare, Office for Students (OfS)

This opening keynote frames the day by setting out the current policy and risk environment shaping student mental health and wellbeing. It will explore sector-wide pressures, and how providers can balance compliance with compassionate, accessible support.

• Leigh Spanner, Programmes Lead, Student Minds
• Ged Flynn, Chief Executive, Papyrus UK

This session explores how higher education providers can translate policy frameworks on student mental health, and actionable strategies for staff teams seeking to deliver sustainable, provider-wide change in student mental health support.

Content notice: This session includes sensitive discussion of topics such as suicide and self-harm.

• Abigail Hamer, Principal – Legal, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

This session examines the intersection of equality, compliance and care, drawing on learning from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and sector experience. The session will explore how meeting equality duties can actively strengthen student wellbeing provision and support more inclusive, effective whole-institution approaches.

Tavistock Room

Choose one to attend

Foster & Bloomsury room

• Chair: Martin Lowe, Head of Policy, University of Lancashire
• Vivi Friedgut, Founder and CEO, Blackbullion
• Jessica Parker, Training and Engagement Manager, University and Student Engagement, Ygam

This session focuses on delivering effective financial wellbeing support to students, including practical interventions, case studies, and lived experience insights.

Woburn Hall

• Chair: Dr Rafael Henry-Venson, Senior Lecturer, and EDI Lead, University of Glasgow 
• Siân Jones-Davies, Principal Associate, and Alex Russell, Partner, Mills & Reeve
• Stephanie Reardon, CEO, LimeCulture
• Géraldine Dufour, Director, Therapeutic Consultations

This session provides guidance on trauma-informed and inclusive approaches, supporting students through sensitive and challenging content while promoting wellbeing.

Content notice: This session includes discussion of sensitive and potentially distressing circumstances, including self-harm and sexual harassment.

Tavistock Room

Choose one to attend

Woburn Hall

• Chair: Sally Lambah, Head of Student Support and Wellbeing, Wrexham University/Prifysgol Wrecsam
• Natalie Strange, Senior Manager, Student Health and Wellbeing, University of London
• Dr Sammy Li, Assistant Director of Student Affairs (Postgraduate and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion), University of Birmingham
• Holly Parrott, Senior Manager of Accessibility, The Open University 

A focused discussion on meeting the needs of online, flexible, and non-traditional learners, highlighting policy implications and practical strategies.

Foster & Bloomsbury room

• Asini Wijewardane, Managing Director, UK, Uwill
• Faye Mitcham, Head of Student Accessibility Service, London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA)

With growing student needs and rising resource pressures, delivering student mental health and wellness solutions that students actually use is vital to ensure safety, wellbeing and value. This session will explore research on modern consumer expectations and preferences, such as immediacy, accessibility and choice, and highlight how designing modern support solutions based on these expectations can truly help drive utilisation and impact across all students, including hard-to-reach students such as diverse students and students in crisis. The session will also include local and global case studies showcasing these principles in practice.

Tavistock Room

Woburn Hall

• Chair: Professor Sue Rigby, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Edinburgh Napier University

• Dr Omar Khan, Chief Executive Officer, TASO
• Dr Sarah Sweeney, Chair, The Student Services Organisation (AMOSSHE), and Head of Student Support and Wellbeing, Lancaster University

This plenary presents approaches to maximise impact with limited resources, focusing on evidence-based solutions and institutional case studies.

• Professor Helen Payne, Professor in Psychotherapy, University of Hertfordshire
• Jane Harris, Co-Director of Student Welfare and Support Services, and Head of Counselling, University of Oxford
• Dr Dominique Thompson, Clinical Advisor, NICE and Student Minds, and Mental Health Consultant, Buzz Consulting

Closing the conference, this session examines how learning design, staff development, and institutional culture can proactively support student wellbeing across the UK.

• Chair: Professor Sue Rigby, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Edinburgh Napier University