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Coventry University London student joins Princess Beatrice for discussion on mental health in higher education
Mahbub Shuhag (left) speaking with HRH Princess Beatrice at a mental health event in London
2024 / Student
Monday 25 March 2024
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A Coventry University London student was invited to take part in a national event on students’ mental health alongside HRH Princess Beatrice.
Mahbub Alom Shuhag was one of just three students to sit down alongside the Princess and representatives of several organisations to discuss how universities can meaningfully support all students’ mental health as part of Student Mental Health Week 2024 – a global initiative led by US edtech company Chegg alongside non-profit and other organisations from around the world.
Mahbub, who will celebrate his First Class BA in Global Business Management at a graduation ceremony in April, attended the event in London as a member of the charity Student Minds’ Student Advisory Committee. During his time at Coventry University London he clinched a victory in the Student Union election and stepped into the shoes of an elected campus officer. In the role Mahbub passionately led several campaigns shining a spotlight on student mental health issues and inclusivity.
His dedication to highlighting and supporting the mental health challenges faced by international students earned him the National Student Partnership Impact Award from the Staff and Education Development Association and JISC.
Topics explored during the roundtable event included the lessons that Covid lockdowns taught universities on their mental health approach, examples of universities effectively supporting student mental health and what universities can do to meaningfully engage with students to raise awareness, while Princess Beatrice shared her own experiences of neurodiversity, having been identified as dyslexic aged seven. She highlighted the importance of taking into account all students’ unique needs when addressing their mental health.
Other organisations at the roundtable included online learning platform Chegg, Student Minds, the Mental Health Foundation and Big Change.
It was a privilege to be part of this vital roundtable on student mental health. I highlighted Coventry University London’s outstanding efforts to bolster student mental health and increase awareness. Moreover, I presented the views of students and discussed the changes they feel would be beneficial, advocating for these improvements to be adopted across higher education institutions through the UK.
Thank you to HRH Princess Beatrice, Chegg, Student Minds, Big Change, the Mental Health Foundation and my fellow student advocates for sharing their experiences. This discussion was an important reminder that listening to student voices is essential if we are to enact policies to meaningfully support mental health in higher education.
Mahbub Shuhag
The need to elevate conversations about mental health has never seemed more urgent and our resolve has never been stronger. By continuing to promote a dialogue between diverse voices from across the world, we hope to show that mental health is an issue that affects us all, and it must be at the top of the global policy agenda. Although today’s students live in the most connected era in history, many experience a deep sense of disconnection, feeling lonely and struggling to make friends.
Heather Hatlo Porter, Chief Communications Officer of Chegg and Head of Social Impact at Chegg Inc
Find out more about Coventry University London.
