Workshop
This interactive workshop introduces the creation and ongoing development of the Higher Education Eating Disorder Network, established in late 2025 to strengthen consistency, collaboration, and standards of practice across institutions.
It begins by outlining the urgent sector need in which universities are seeing rising numbers of students affected by eating disorders, while access to statutory care remains inconsistent and often feels like a postcode lottery. This variability places significant pressure on universities to support students safely and ethically, despite their primary role as academic institutions rather than clinical providers.
The network was created to offer a unified, cross‑sector space where professionals from student wellbeing, mental health services, disability teams, academic departments, and statutory clinical partners can connect, share expertise, and work collectively on shared challenges. In our very first session, members identified four priority areas that will shape future focused work and drive new opportunities forpartnership and sector‑wide development.
Ultimately, the network aims to enhance the student experience by strengthening collaboration, reducing inconsistency, and contributing to a more reliable, sector‑wide framework that supports both students and the staff who work alongside them.