Student Mental Health: Ensuring a Safe and Inclusive Campus for LGBTQ+ Students

According to the NUS, 42% of LGBTQ+ respondents to the Youth Chances survey reported having experienced depression or anxiety, compared to 29% of non-LGBTQ+ respondents. University can be an exciting time for a student, but it can also be a time when students are vulnerable, particularly LGBTQ+ students. The student LGBTQ+ community can be under-represented and may be at risk of experiencing mental health difficulties at university.

Professor Sarah Sharples is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and People at the University of Nottingham, where she has responsibility for the development and implementation of the EDI strategy to support staff and students. She is also a Professor of Human Factors in Engineering. She leads the EPSRC (Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council) Connected Everything Network, is co-director of the EPSRC Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training and is involved in research in areas including digital manufacturing, transport, and health care.

She is Non-Executive Director of the Connected Places Catapult and is on the Science Advisory Council for the Department for Transport, and is a member of the Council of the EPSRC.

In this video, Sarah discussed the incentives developed by the University of Nottingham, to support the wellbeing of their LGBTQ+ students.

Research has showed that LGBTQ+ students in HE are significantly more likely to experience depression or anxiety whilst at university than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts. We heard from Professor Sarah Sharples, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Nottingham about the programmes they developed to support the wellbeing of their LGBTQ+ students.