This time last year, on World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), we launched the University’s commitment to becoming a suicide-safer university. At the heart of this commitment is the creation of a robust, supportive environment and a culture of openness - where everyone feels empowered to talk about mental health, understands the routes to support, and is aware of the risks and warning signs.
Our approach is built around prevention, intervention, and postvention. It’s about equipping our community with the knowledge, confidence, and compassion to take an active role in reducing the risk of suicide, accessing support, and challenging the stigma that too often surrounds mental health.
Progress and Milestones
Over the past year, we’ve made meaningful strides toward this goal. One of the most significant milestones was being awarded the EmilyTest Charter. This recognition, awarded by the charity established in memory of Emily Drouet - a University of Aberdeen student who tragically took her own life following a sustained campaign of abuse by a fellow student- acknowledges institutions that demonstrate exceptional efforts in tackling gender-based violence (GBV) and fostering a culture of safety and support.
While this is an achievement to be proud of, it marks a point on our journey - not the end. We remain committed to continually learning, improving, and enhancing our support for victim/survivors. We will never forget Emily or what happened to her in 2016. Her story fuels our unwavering commitment to fight GBV in all its forms.
Building a Culture of Openness and Support
We’ve invested significant time and effort into developing a comprehensive suite of wellbeing resources and training materials to support both staff and students. These are designed to build confidence in supporting mental health - both our own and that of others. A training log is now available to help staff track and reflect on their learning.
We’re working with each School and Directorate to develop Local Wellbeing Action Plans, tailored to the specific needs of each area. Over 600 staff members have participated in wellbeing workshops, with bespoke sessions delivered to specialist groups such as the Technician Forum, Library staff, the Mental Health First Aiders network, and staff within IMS.
We know that supporting students with mental health concerns can be challenging. That’s why we’ve developed and continue to enhance the Supporting You to Support Student Wellbeing webpage, along with the Worried About a Student referral form. Our “Supporting You to Support Students” workshops have been well attended, and we’ve now created an online version to make this resource more accessible.
Community Engagement and Shared Responsibility
Creating a community-wide understanding of suicide prevention is essential. It’s been inspiring to see so many of you engage in initiatives like Wear It Green Day, BeWell Week, and the BeWell Network. These events help spark open conversations about mental wellbeing-conversations that are vital in breaking down stigma.
This year, 52 staff members have completed the Introduction to Suicide Prevention training course. We will continue to offer this alongside the Zero Suicide Alliance online course, of which 150 staff have completed, and we encourage everyone to take part.
We’ve also:
Developed and integrated standard operating procedures for managing students of concern in our Student Support Services, promoting effective cross-departmental communication on student engagement, and consistent approaches to intervention and escalation when it is necessary.
Continued to enhance our approach to identifying and managing risk within the student body, led through our Student Case Management Group and the teams in Student Support Services.
Built a strong network of Mental Health First Aiders, who receive monthly upskilling sessions and regular digests with timely resources to share across the community.
Why Suicide Prevention Matters to Us All
Suicide is not just a mental health issue - it’s a human issue. Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy that touches families, friends, workplaces, and communities. That’s why suicide prevention isn’t just the responsibility of professionals or crisis services - it’s something we all have a role in.
By learning to recognise the signs, listening without judgment, and creating safe spaces for open conversations, we can help reduce stigma and offer hope. You don’t need to have all the answers - just being present, showing you care, and knowing where to signpost someone for help can make a life-saving difference.
Engaging with suicide prevention means choosing compassion, connection, and courage. It means reminding each other that no one has to face their darkest moments alone.
Together, we can build a culture where reaching out is met with support - and where every person knows their life matters.
Suicide Prevention & Awareness: Sept 2025 | StaffNet | The University of Aberdeen