25 March 2026 · Student Life · Dr Emma Forsyth, Student Services
Luma University has launched an expanded mental health and wellbeing programme backed by £900,000 of institutional investment over three years. The initiative responds to growing demand for support services and aligns with recommendations from the Student Mental Health Taskforce convened by the university in 2025.
Central to the programme is the opening of the Wellbeing Hub in the former chaplaincy building on the Edgewater campus. The hub consolidates counselling, disability advice, financial guidance and chaplaincy services under one roof, reducing the need for students to navigate multiple offices when seeking help. Drop-in sessions run weekdays from 10:00 to 16:00 during term time.
Counselling provision has increased from 12 to 20 qualified practitioners, with appointment waiting times reduced from an average of 18 days to a target of seven days. A new out-of-hours telephone support line, operated in partnership with a specialist provider, offers 24/7 access during term time and examination periods.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience Dr Richard Lowe emphasised that the programme adopts a preventative approach. "We are training 120 student wellbeing ambassadors, embedding mental health literacy into academic induction, and working with academic departments to identify students who may benefit from early intervention," he explained.
The students' union contributed to programme design through its Welfare Officer and student focus groups. Feedback from these sessions shaped the hub's layout, signage and online booking system. Evaluation metrics will be published annually, beginning in summer 2027.