Mapping and Diagnosing Mental Health in/and the UK University Sector

• In Event: Locating & Timing Governance in STS and Universities III: Challenges in university knowledge making

Abstract

In recent years, we have witnessed radical changes in the UK university sector: tuition fees increased to £9,250 per year; higher education turned into a metricized marketplace of qualifications; rapid institutional expansion made possible through unprecedented levels of borrowing. At the same time, the mental health and well-being of staff and students are reported to have rapidly deteriorated. Three strikes have taken place within the last 24 months over pay, pension, casualization, stress and working conditions—74 UK universities are participating in a 14-day walkout in February/March 2020. There have been few attempts, however, to develop methods to investigate the relationship between the transformation of UK universities and mental health. In our Wellcome-funded project, we are producing the first systems/network analysis to map actors and organizations with significant influence on the well-being in/of UK higher education. The network, assembled using a Neo4J graphic database, allows structures of power and conflicts of interest to be tracked longitudinally and visualized. In tandem, we collectively assess policies and documents surrounding staff and student mental health, which are supported and promoted by lobby groups such as Universities UK and regulators such as Office for Students. Where do they locate causes of mental ill-health and poor well-being? Which approaches and interventions (e.g. whole system; mindfulness; peer-to-peer apps) are being used to ameliorate the situation? Which private businesses are being contracted to deliver them, and how are they connected with university management? Our paper combines methods and insights from STS, Psychosocial Studies, and Critical University Studies.

Authors

• Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln

• Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London

• Philip Garnett, University of York

• Dimitra Kotouza, University of Lincoln