Thursday, 20 June 2019
New report confirms important pastoral role for first time
The vital role played by university technicians in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students has been recognised by a new report produced in collaboration with the University of Nottingham.
Mental health issues are on the rise across the UK higher education sector, with one in four students affected by a mental health condition.
The majority of the 30,000 technicians working in higher education institutions (HEIs) are student-facing, and the frontline nature of their roles means many are often the first port of call for students struggling with their mental health.
For the first time, Technicians: Providing frontline and vital support for mental health and wellbeing confirms that technical staff support students with sensitive and personal issues including bereavement or sexual assault − often with very little formal recognition or training.
The report, launched today by the Technician Commitment and partners was informed by over 700 members of the technical community, across 49 HEIs.
Kelly Vere, Director of Technical Skills and Strategy at The University of Nottingham and Technician of the Year for STEM has played a leading role in the publication of the report through her positions as Director at Technician Commitment and Higher Education lead at the Science Council.
This year, the standard of entries for the Papin Prizes was incredibly high, so all of the technicians and technical teams that have been nominated for the awards should be very proud of their achievements.
Around 50% of the technicians surveyed in the report said that they had discussed a personal problem with a student in the last three years, and 22% of respondents confirmed that they provided pastoral support. Over 80% of technicians said that this was not a formal part of their role, and many had not received formal training. Women were more likely to approach, or be approached by students for support. This could have implications for some disciplines where there are proportionately fewer technicians who are female, for example in physics and engineering.
To combat some of these issues, the report offers a number of recommendations to the sector to ensure all involved are fully supported and appropriately trained.
Dame Carol Robinson, president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “The launch of this report marks an important milestone in recognising the valuable roles that technicians carry out – often without training or even being asked – because they identify students’ needs. As a former technician myself, I strongly believe it is time we all take notice, to ensure this important role should not go unrecognised. We need to provide the resources and time to ensure that technicians who wish to continue to provide this, often challenging, wellbeing support are well trained and supported themselves.”
Helen Gordon, Chief Executive of the Science Council, said: “The findings of the report should be considered carefully by the community of professional bodies in science. The Science Council will continue to be a strong advocate for the Technician Commitment and the support and development work that is fundamental to this.”
Kate Jones, Head of Operations, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, said: “We’re delighted that this piece of work has shone a light on the key role that technicians are playing across the sector. Recognising and nurturing this invaluable contribution puts us in a much better place to collectively better support student mental health and wellbeing.”
The report is available to download at https://www.technicians.org.uk/technician-commitment/resources/technicians-student-well-being
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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