History

The first University Mental Health Day was piloted by UMHAN in 2008. From what we remember there were a few events held at a select few universities - all put on by UMHAN members. The original premise was to hold events to raise the visibility of mental health on campus, and so help to break down stigma.

Since then, the event has grown and grown. We have always worked closely with Student Minds, and since 2012 we have run the day together. Their influence has helped promote the participation of Students' Unions and students. 

It's great to see that events are often now run by whole student support or academic departments. External service providers, such as student accommodation, local NHS services and private companies have now started taking part too. There are a wide range of events - from coffee and chat to film festivals.

#UniMentalHealthDay 2026

University Sheds

UMHAN welcomed back Keira Summerhayes from Men's Sheds (UKMSA) to update us on the progress of the University Sheds project - a perfect place for human connection for students and staff! With James Grenfell and Dave Cowell from the University of East London who are helping get the first uni shed set up. 

#UniMentalHealthDay 2025

Climbing for Wellbeing

In 2025 we welcomed Andy Cross, a mental health practitioner and member of the Mental Health & Wellbeing Team at the University of Cumbria to speak as part of our #UniMentalHealthDay 2025 celebrations. 

Andy's talk covered: 

  • the influences behind 'Climbing for Wellbeing'
  • the evidence base supporting it
  • the evolution of the course outcomes
  • what the future holds for the project.

#UniMentalHealthDay 2024 

'I Chose to Disclose' and When does anxiety become a problem? 

In 2024 we promoted our 'I Chose to Disclose' campaign. This was first launched in 2017 to try and dispel myths associated with the perceived dangers and disadvantages of disclosure - sharing information about mental health. This is a particularly important message after the details of recent student suicides have come to light. 

In 2024 we also asked: When does anxiety become a problem? 

We invited you to answer some of the following questions on UMHD 2024:

  • Can I manage anxiety myself?
  • When do I know this is a problem and should seek support? 
  • What different ways are there to manage anxiety, and what works?
  • What different ways does my university offer support with anxiety?

We held a free webinar on this subject on the day which had approximately 200 attendees!