Report Launch — Mental Health & Wellbeing of Online PGT Students: Pinch Points & Good Practice

Following an introduction by UKCGE’s Director, Dr Owen Gower, Julien le Jeune d’Allegeershecque introduced the guidance document and said he would be outlining why it matters and how to support it. Firstly, however, he introduced the Collaborative Research for Online Postgraduate Studies Network (CROPSNet), which has over 150 members from over 40 institutions across the world. It hosts quarterly online PGT-focussed seminars, produces a quarterly newsletter and organises an annual conference (more details linked at the end of this article). 

Julien himself is the founder and director of the network, as well as the author of the report, and a Teaching Fellow at the Institute of Global Health Innovation and the Fleming Initiative (both at Imperial College, London).

“I really wanted to focus on online postgraduate taught wellbeing,” he explained, ​“and the reason for that is that online postgraduate programmes offer flexibility, but also present unique wellbeing challenges, which might be experienced by some on-campus students, but which are quite particular to online PGT students. There are also challenges across the student journey, which present distinct opportunities for forward planning and effective responses.”

He said that, through the report and accompanying self-assessment tool, he wanted to highlight the key role of programme design and practice in supporting student wellbeing and to identify the links between wellbeing and educational quality. 

He then outlined some of the challenges amongst online PGT students and how these problems could negatively affect their mental wellbeing and brought higher risks of them withdrawing from their programmes completely. He explained that they often face role conflicts (as they may be trying to transition to another level professionally for example), and online course delivery does result in fewe peer-interaction opportunities, which can lead to isolation.

Julien then turned to the guidance document itself, explaining that it mirrors a previous pinch-points document developed at Imperial College, London which targeted PGR students. The current study involved staff and student workshops, a literature review and an internal review process by CROPSNet members. He outlined some key insights as follows:

• Role of Programme Design: Programme design and teaching practice shape student wellbeing daily beyond central support services.
• Limitations of Support Services: Counselling and wellbeing services are reactive, unevenly accessed and constrained for some students.
• Impact on Student Experience: Clarity, predictability, and human presence influence cognitive load, belonging and coping capacity.
• Shift to Systemic Design: Focus on systemic design empowers programme teams to improve wellbeing within existing roles.

Julien then took attendees through the pinch-points, where problems were likely to emerge, namely at pre-application stage, when students start on their programmes and once the courses are underway (assessment being a particular cause of stress and anxiety). At each stage, he gave advice about how these problems could be limited or avoided altogether. He also spoke about sustaining engagement and strategies for supporting students. 

“One thing you can do is to encourage an open atmosphere which is accepting of mental health struggles,” he said. ​“You could put in place opportunities for neurodivergent students and staff to share their stories. It’s about creating a culture where it’s OK to struggle and have challenges.”

He added to this some observations about embedding wellbeing support where you can. ​“You should include wellbeing elements in your feedback and monitoring,” he said, ​“Make sure that you reply to students in a timely fashion and then review your programme on a regular basis.”

He concluded with some reflections about the importance of alumni in normalising aspects of the postgraduate experience and bolstering a sense of community. ​“You can include [alumni] as guest speakers on your modules if they have relevant experience. And you can also invite them to participate in Q&A sessions. You can also create some peer mentoring or informal support networks and even involve them in developing a module and being part of the delivery of it.”

Finally, he suggested that attendees consider the top three things that they could do in the next six to 12 months to address mental health and wellbeing on their online PGT programmes, as well as referring them to the relevant documents (linked below).