Collective Action to Preventing Student Suicide

Join us for an exclusive webinar introducing the newly published, practical guidance for the Higher Education (HE) sector, designed to reduce risk and restrict access to means of student suicide: Collective responsibility,
collective action to prevent student suicide.

Based on current research, serious incident reviews, and inquest data, this guidance provides actionable insights and strategies to help universities tackle the crucial issue of suicide prevention.

Why attend?

Understand the guidance: Learn about the latest evidence-based approaches for mitigating suicide risk in HE settings.
Practical solutions: Discover key strategies to restrict access to potential means of suicide on campus.
Expert-led insights: Hear from those who have collaborated to create this guidance.
Stay informed: Ensure your institution is aligned with the most up-to-date suicide prevention frameworks in the HE sector.

This guidance complements the Suicide-safer Universities resource (2018) from Universities UK (UUK) and PAPYRUS, as well as the 2022 UUK, PAPYRUS, and Samaritans’ guidance on How to Respond to a Student Suicide.

Who should register?

This webinar is essential for university leaders, student support staff, mental health professionals, and anyone involved in student welfare. Ensure your institution is equipped with the latest tools to create a safer, more supportive environment for students.

Our panellists: (full bios below)

Prof. Jo Smith OBE, University of Worcester
Dr. Simon Merrywest, University of Manchester
Ian Munton, AMOSSHE Executive Member and Director of Student Services at Aberystwyth University
Theo Cernow-Cooke, Symplicity

Reserve your spot now

Guidance graphic (1)

Our panelists

Professor Jo Smith OBE

Professor Jo Smith OBE, Emeritus Professor of Early Intervention and Psychosis, University of Worcester, UK.

Jo Smith is an Emeritus Professor of Early Intervention and Psychosis at the University of Worcester in the UK. She is also a Clinical Advisor to the National Clinical Audit of Psychosis (NCAP) audit of Early Intervention Services in England, Wales and Ireland. Prior to this, Jo was a Chartered Clinical Psychologist working in adult mental health and Early Intervention in Psychosis services during a 34yr NHS career.

Jo was project lead for 'Suicide Safer' a multiagency student suicide prevention initiative at University of Worcester (2013-2019), which was a finalist for a Times Higher Education (HE) 2018 'Outstanding Support for Students' Award.

Jo supervised two PhD research studentships respectively exploring student suicide prevention and postvention policy and practice in UK HEIs and postvention support needs and roles for HEI staff following a student suicide. Jo co-edited a book with Dr. Sharon Mallon from the Open University: 'Preventing and Responding to Student Suicide. A Practical Guide for FE and HE Settings’, published by Jessica Kingsley in November 2021. She co-edited and co-authored HE Postvention Guidance, ‘by the sector, for the sector’, to guide HE senior leaders to respond sensitively and quickly after an unexpected student death by suspected suicide, funded by Office for Students and published by UUK, PAPYRUS and Samaritans in December 2022.

She has recently co-authored and edited new guidance: ‘Collective responsibility, collective action to prevent student suicide; Guidance for the higher education sector to reduce risk and restrict access to means of suicide’, funded by Unite Students and Symplicity and published in October 2024. Jo is also a Expert Advisory Group member for the National Confidential Inquiry review of suspected suicides (and non-fatal incidents of self-harm) in higher education (HE) students in England. Jo was awarded an OBE for services to Higher Education and student suicide prevention and response in June 2023.

Merrywest, Simon

Dr. Simon Merrywest has been Executive Director for the Student Experience at The University of Manchester since 2017. His team support students through their journey from recruitment to graduation, including the extensive provision of student wellbeing and more specialist support. They also run a large residential and sport portfolio and operate four overseas centres. He is also co-sponsor of the University’s ambitious residential redevelopment programme. Simon’s previous roles include Director of Faculty Operations for the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. He has a first degree in Anatomical Sciences from Dundee and a PhD in Neurobiology from St Andrews.

Simon led the development of the University of Manchester’s suicide strategy and is also the co-chair of the Greater Manchester Student Mental Health Service Board. He co-edited and co-authored the UUK, PAPYRUS and Samaritans HE Postvention Guidance, published in December 2022, to guide HE senior leaders to respond sensitively and quickly after an unexpected student death by suspected suicide. He has recently co-authored and edited new guidance: ‘Collective responsibility, collective action to prevent student suicide; Guidance for the higher education sector to reduce risk and restrict access to means of suicide’, funded by Unite Students and Symplicity and published in October 2024. Simon is also an Expert Advisory Group member for the National Confidential Inquiry review of suspected suicides (and non-fatal incidents of self-harm) in higher education (HE) students in England, a member of the TASO Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group and a member of the Manchester Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths Panel.

Theo Cernow-Cooke has a background in consulting and education technology, overseeing the deployment of Symplicity’s university mental health software to institutions across the UK, Europe and Africa.

Previously he worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and launched a pan-African digital information service to improve the availability of data and analysis for education and health programmes. Following that he helped establish Orbitt, a venture-backed technology company.

New guidance for suicide prevention in Higher Education

Wednesday 27 November 2024

13:00 PM - 14:00 PM GMT

Our panelists