The HEARTS Foundation Bricks Report addresses the urgent mental health crisis in higher education. This pressing issue has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising global tensions, backlash against various social minorities, increasing stress, and inadequate support systems. The report undertakes a comprehensive needs assessment across five universities in Barcelona, Lisbon, Turin, Cagliari, and Malta, utilizing service mapping, surveys, and interviews. This approach provides an interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective on the mental health challenges facing European higher education institutions today. The findings highlight the crucial need to enhance a sense of belonging and connectedness within university environments, which significantly impacts mental health outcomes. The report also reveals relevant gaps in mental health services, including access barriers and insufficient support for diverse groups. It advocates for adopting preventative and holistic mental health promotion strategies. Future efforts should focus on creating more inclusive and supportive environments and integrating diverse, preventive practices into existing mental health frameworks. The insights from this report aim to guide universities in developing more effective and responsive mental health strategies to better meet the needs of their students and staff.

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International project final report

mental health,higher education,mental health promotion

This publication is an output of the following project(s):

• Higher Education Action Response for Trauma Support