How we support Deakin students
Our aim is to give our students the resilience and motivation to engage effectively in complex learning tasks, manage difficult stressors, respond to challenges and make the most of the opportunities their course provides. Student wellbeing is a Deakin-wide responsibility; a student-centred approach is paramount. Deakin’s Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023–25 outlines our focus for the next three years and addresses three key priorities:
- prevention
- response
- continuous improvement.
The Strategy builds upon the program of work undertaken since 2019 and is based upon six guiding principles adapted from the Orygen Australian University Mental Health Framework 2020 (PDF, 2.1MB).
We will continue to work collaboratively to understand and minimise the factors which heighten the risk of mental ill-health, and ensure our mental health strategies are planned, implemented, evaluated and that outcomes are shared.
Professor Iain Martin
Vice-Chancellor
Download the Strategy
Read about the roles and responsibilities, evaluation framework, legislative responsibilities and governance that make up Deakin's student mental health and wellbeing strategy.
Student mental health and wellbeing guiding principles
The Strategy is implemented through an action plan outlining targeted initiatives. While the Strategy's principles will guide actions throughout its duration, an annual action plan ensures adaptability to the fast-changing external environment. This approach allows Deakin to support students' mental health and wellbeing with emerging best practices.
Through our guiding principles, the Strategy allows us to put the following into practice:
- Implement mental health and wellbeing approaches that are informed by student needs, perspectives and the reality of lived experience.
- Create an environment that both enhances and promotes student mental health and wellbeing.
- Foster a mentally healthy university community that encourages participation; champions a diverse, inclusive environment; promotes connectedness; and supports academic, professional and personal achievement.
- Strengthen our response to mental health issues and strengthen mental wellbeing through collaboration and coordinated actions.
- Ensure students can access appropriate, timely and effective referrals to specialised services.
- Use accurate and recent evidence to improve and strengthen initiatives that support student mental health and wellbeing.
Executive sponsors
The student mental health and wellbeing strategy is integral to both teaching and the student experience, endorsed by executive sponsors at the highest level. Our executive sponsors are:
Professor Liz Johnson
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Alfred Deakin Professor
Kerrie Parker
Executive Vice-President Resources.
Contact us
We're here to support you at any stage of your university journey. If you have any questions about Deakin's student mental health and wellbeing strategy, please get in touch.