Speakers
Workshop
The combination of rising student mental health needs, misunderstood provision and increasing sector pressures highlights the need for innovative leadership practice capable of embedding student wellbeing within strategy and policy.
This session by Newcastle University presents recent research findings from a study exploring the layered experiences of higher education Student Services leaders, a perspective often absent from strategic leadership literature, and theories of leadership as practice. The study examined how senior wellbeing leaders influence the strategic positioning of student wellbeing in UK higher education, amid rising scrutiny of student mental health and a shift towards systemic, rather than reactive, approaches.
The session will explore the opportunities and challenges of placing student wellbeing as a strategic priority for the wellbeing leaders of UK higher education institutions. Findings and sector recommendations will be discussed and explored to further legitimise Student Services leadership. It’ll support the development of wellbeing leadership practices, particularly those that promote collaboration over competition, embrace complexity, and are responsive to the diverse and evolving needs of the student population.
Kirsty has held the position of Manager of Welfare and Counselling Services as part of the Senior Management Team at Newcastle University since 2021. As a strategic and compassionate leader, with vast experience in student mental health, counselling, and wellbeing services across higher and secondary education, Kirsty has a proven track record in leading system-level change, building psychologically safe teams and collaborative cultures. Kirsty is also a member of the HUCS specialist interest group executive committee.
Alongside the day job, Kirsty has an interest in practice-based research, having recently completed an MSc in Strategic Leadership, where her research focused on embedding student wellbeing as a strategic priority in UK HEIs, work which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly around reducing inequalities and promoting education for life. She is also exploring research and papers to explore legitimacy within Professional Services leadership and welcomes collaboration on this.
Kirsty has won recent sector awards for innovation, specifically in relation to the Impact Measurement Scale, a non clinical tool designed to capture data and insights into student wellbeing presentations and supports a whole institution approach. Via AMOSSHE and SCORE, IMS is an ongoing initiative to work to a sector standard of wellbeing data collection, which is currently undergoing validity testing to enable wider use.