Community of Practice Explores Mental Health On Campus 

Forty-seven university representatives from across Australia and New Zealand came together online on Tuesday 28 July for the latest UniSport Healthy Campus Community of Practice, which explored practical ways to advance mental health and wellbeing through the FISU Healthy Campus program.  

Mental health and wellbeing continue to be a key focus for universities globally, with institutions navigating escalating levels of student anxiety and stress, growing demand for support services, social isolation and loneliness, cost-of-living pressures and the increasing complexity of student wellbeing needs. 

As part of UniSport Australia’s Healthy Campus work, the Community of Practice brings together university representatives to share knowledge and experiences across the different domains of the FISU Healthy Campus Program. The sessions are designed to support universities in learning from one another and exploring practical approaches to applying the Healthy Campus Criteria within their own institutions. 

The latest Community of Practice session focused on FISU Healthy Campus Criteria 82-89, which cover a range of approaches to promoting mental and social wellbeing across university communities, including mental health awareness and support, stress management, social connection, exam wellbeing and healthy sleep.  

Presenters shared practical implementation strategies, whole-of-university approaches, and initiatives designed to support the wellbeing of students and staff. 

The session opened with a keynote presentation from Rohenna Young, Director of the thrive* program. Ms Young shared examples of events that brought joy to the university community and presented the Quarter Two 2026 results. The outcomes showed strong growth in student engagement through co-designed, student-led initiatives and flexible, barrier-free access, allowing students and staff to showcase their hidden talents, interests, and hobbies.  

Attendees then heard from CQUniversity’s Mindwaves 2.0 program, presented by Anna Farmer. Ms Farmer demonstrated how a geographically dispersed university can make a positive impact across its community and highlighted CQUniversity’s transition from a reactive model to a proactive, whole-of-university approach, contributing to its FISU Healthy Campus certification.  

The Community of Practice concluded with a Healthy Campus Hack implementation session led by Ashleigh Apps from Curtin University.  Ms Apps outlined Curtin University’s roadmap from intent to execution, sharing how the university turned broad criteria into clear accountabilities by mapping ownership, securing executive governance, prioritising quick wins, tracking evidence and positioning Healthy Campus as a coordinated approach to existing university initiatives rather than a new standalone program. 

The session generated strong engagement from university representatives, with positive feedback throughout the discussion and attendees highlighting the range of ideas and work being undertaken across the sector. The presentations showcased the breadth of work already underway across Australian universities and reinforced the value of sharing knowledge through the Healthy Campus network. 

UniSport General Manager for Advocacy, Martin Doulton, reflected on the importance of a shared approach to student mental health and wellbeing. 

“Mental health is really important, and it’s a campus wide responsibility. There is not one solution to the issues being faced.” 

“We’ve got so much good practice across Australia, and we’re trying to share that information as part of Healthy Campus.” 

The Community of Practice highlighted the value of bringing universities together to learn from one another, providing a strong foundation for continued work to support student mental health and wellbeing across the sector. 

The next UniSport Healthy Campus Community of Practice session will take place on Tuesday 22 September 2026, focusing on the Physical Activity and Sport domain of the FISU Healthy Campus Program and Criteria #34-66, which cover approaches to promoting physical activity, sport and active lifestyles across university communities.