Academic research · Qualitative mapping · Public-source review
Universities and community mental wellbeing
What do universities actually do for psychological wellbeing in the cities around them, beyond counselling on campus? A collaborative project with Moscow City University, reviewing what 102 universities publicly describe.
The study
Looking at what universities do, not what they call it.
The review used publicly available information about university centres, services and initiatives, and asked how they contribute to local communities through mental-health support, education and social engagement.
My contribution
My main contribution was to the qualitative review and the mapping of practices. I examined university websites and related public sources, identified relevant initiatives and organised their characteristics within a shared analytical framework. I also co-authored the academic publication that followed.
Approach
102 universities were selected from the University Impact Rankings. Each practice was coded against a framework of 127 indicators covering organisational arrangements, activities, intended audiences, and whether an initiative sat inside or beyond the university.
What was mapped
Four kinds of practice, often in the same initiative.
The 282 practices fell into four groups. Social initiatives were the largest.
Practice types
Number of practices by type
Initiatives could operate at more than one level, so level percentages do not add up to 100%.
What it showed
Support goes beyond counselling.
Universities combine several approaches, and many initiatives blend them. Reading a practice by its title alone would hide that.
Direct support
Psychological assistance and support for those who need it.
Public education
Information and educational projects for a wider audience.
Community partnerships
Joint work with organisations and people in the local community.
Student participation
Opportunities for students to take part, often tied to teaching and research.
These four approaches were often connected with teaching and research. That is why the framework describes what an initiative does, who it is for and where it sits, rather than sorting practices by name.
Outputs
A structured practice database, a research booklet and the co-authored article Out-of-Box Experience: How World Universities Contribute to the Psychological Well-Being of Urban Residents (2025).
Skills shown
Public-source research, qualitative mapping, classification and comparative synthesis across countries.
Limits
What the review does not show.
Stated up front, so the map is read as a description of public claims, not a measure of impact.
- The review documents publicly described activities. It does not independently establish how effective they are.
- The 102 universities came from the Impact Rankings, so the review does not represent all universities worldwide.
- A practice can be counted in more than one level or approach, so category percentages overlap.
- What a website says may differ from what happens on the ground.
Publication: Out-of-Box Experience: How World Universities Contribute to the Psychological Well-Being of Urban Residents (2025), co-authored. Higher Education in Russia, 34(11), 54–80. doi.org/10.31992/0869-3617-2025-34-11-54-80
Where it sits in the method: Stage 01 · Background & context · Stage 04 · Analyse