Show/Hide navigation
University of Reading University of Reading
Mobile search categories

The University of Reading and Reading Students’ Union are committed to supporting the mental health and promoting the wellbeing of all students and staff.

We aspire to be a university where all individuals can thrive. To this end, we aim to foster a welcoming and collaborative environment in which every member of our community feels a genuine sense of belonging. We offer a range of services on campus and online to support individuals with their mental health. We also promote wellbeing in a number of ways, through our people, activities, and the environment we create.

As a global university, we proudly welcome students and staff from around the world. We are committed to creating an inclusive, compassionate, and respectful environment for our diverse community. In 2025, we achieved the University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) Award. Engaging with this process helped us to better understand our strengths and identify areas for improvement in how we support our community.

Strategy purpose

This strategy aims to facilitate a whole-institutional approach to improving and sustaining mental health and wellbeing across the University. It covers the period from 2025 to 2030 and is designed to complement existing strategies from the University of Reading and the Students’ Union.

We aim to deliver on the strategy themes through a range of co-created action plans, supported by strong governance and continuous evaluation, with student and staff voices at the heart.

The following sections align with the UMHC themes and outline our commitments and ongoing actions across the Charter’s four key areas: Learn, Support, Work and Live.

The Mental Health Charter's four key themes

1. Learn

Summary statement

Our curriculum, pedagogies and academic processes are designed with a student-centred approach, in order to provide an inclusive learning experience which removes barriers to success. We work alongside students as they navigate their journey into and through university, creating supportive learning opportunities that reflect our commitment to their academic, personal, and professional development and prepare them for life beyond university.

We aim to support our staff to develop and grow in the workplace.

2. Support

Summary statement

Our student support services play a vital role in maintaining the mental health and wellbeing of our students. We are committed to delivering support that is inclusive, connected and designed to be as safe and effective as possible. Our student wellbeing services are grounded in best practice, addressing health promotion, illness prevention, early intervention and a range of positive strategies, including crisis support.

We aim to support our staff to manage their health, safety and wellbeing. We also aim to provide them with the appropriate skills and knowledge to support students and each other.

3. Work

Summary statement

We have a responsibility to ensure we maintain a psychologically safe workplace where staff and students can thrive. We aim to provide an inclusive and caring working environment that recognises the diverse needs of our employees. We must enable managers to oversee the welfare of their teams and provide the tools staff need to support the students under our stewardship too.

4. Live

Summary statement

We want every student and staff member to feel welcomed, valued and supported and we’re committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where students and staff can thrive physically, emotionally, and socially. We know that a sense of community and belonging is key to good mental health, so we will focus on providing meaningful support, accessible opportunities, and a balance between work, study, and life. 

mask
Choose a subject
2025/26
2026/27