Barriers and opportunities of psychosocial support for student well-being at Polish universities

Abstract

In Poland, public mental health is becoming an emerging concern for the higher education system, with at least five studies since 2020 highlighting the deteriorating mental health of university students. The study published by the Polish students’ union is especially significant due to its public mental health advocacy on the national level. The current dialogue around its findings identifies four barriers and potential facilitating factors for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) at universities: (1) university structures and cultures may be not conducive to well-being; (2) striving for gender equality may be of critical importance; (3) proven opportunities exist for informal advocacy and broader mental health interventions; (4) academic authorities still need to include well-being on the agenda of university boards. Based on existing literature, the following four recommendations are proposed: Recommendation 1: Self-reflection on MHPSS needs to be initiated at universities. Recommendation 2: MHPSS at universities needs to take gender into account. Recommendation 3. Building intra-university alliances against depression seems to be a low-cost, effective community-based MHPSS solution. Recommendation 4: University MHPSS requires high-level ambassadors such as the rector’s college. The article will be of interest for both university management and policymakers focusing on student well-being and MHPSS designed for them.