Held on March 21 and 22, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada, this twopart satellite event brought together students, faculty, and staff to strengthen the global network of postsecondary student mental health researchers. The event featured networking sessions, brief presentations from collaborators, and focused small group discussions.
Key outcomes included: enhanced international connections among researchers, the establishment of a Canadian-led Community of Practice (CoP) in collaboration with global partners, and the formation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within the CoP to support focused collaboration across diverse areas of postsecondary student well-being research.
This event was made possible through support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). It was led by the University of Toronto in collaboration with King’s College London and the University of British Columbia.
DAYONE
The event began with an evening dedicated to relationship-building and connection among attendees. Held at Palate Kitchen in the heart of downtown Vancouver, the evening opened with a welcome address and a facilitated icebreaker designed to foster new relationships and spark cross-disciplinary dialogue. Over dinner, attendees had the opportunity to connect informally, build community, and set the stage for meaningful collaboration throughout the summit.
DAYTWO
The second day, hosted on the University of British Columbia campus, focused on shaping the future Community of Practice (CoP). After a shared breakfast and welcome, participants engaged in interactive workshops designed to harness the group ’ s collective expertise and energy to set priorities, build momentum, and clarify next steps. A closing discussion brought the group together to reflect and commit to ongoing engagement.
The GobalCAMPUS Summit welcomed attendees from around the world. Attendees included students, researchers, staff and student affairs professionals, academic and clinical leaders, and knowledge users from across the globe.
We welcomed 45 attendees
21 Undergraduate & Graduate Students
12 Faculty
Across
12 Staff & Student Affairs Professionals
From 14 institutions & organizations
1
Initial Guiding Principles
We are united by a deep commitment to improving postsecondary student mental health. This shared responsibility calls us to move beyond conversation and into action leveraging our diverse roles, expertise, and lived experiences to create meaningful, lasting change.
2
We recognize that tensions—between individual and systemic change, prevention and intervention, academic goals and well-being—are inherent to this work. Rather than shy away from them, we embrace these tensions as opportunities for deeper insight, dialogue, and innovation.
3
Addressing student mental health requires a diversity of knowledge, experience, and cultural context. We commit to fostering meaningful collaboration across disciplines and borders, recognizing that global partnerships strengthen our research, deepen our impact, and broaden our understanding of student wellbeing.
KEY THEMES ACROSS DISCUSSIONS
Relational & Integrated Approaches to Mental Health
Student well-being is deeply influenced by relationships across the campus ecosystem, emphasizing the need for more integrated, collaborative support structures.
Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusive Language
A commitment to equity, diversity, and accessibility must be foundational including the use of inclusive language that reflects the full range of people working in this space.
Global Visibility & Strategic Communication
Raising the profile of the international collaboration through intentional marketing and engagement strategies can drive participation and momentum.
Infrastructure for Connection & Collaboration
An organized, consistent space for regular communication and relationship-building is essential for sustaining the CoP.
Action-Oriented & Context-Aware Research
The CoP should prioritize research that is practical, responsive to diverse institutional contexts, and designed for real-world impact.
KEY ACTIVITES OF INTEREST
Identity & Structure
Establish a brand identity (name & logo)
Develop mission, vision, and values with global, communitydriven, and impact-focused language
Define governance structure
Community Mapping & Engagement
Identify and map key knowledge users, researchers & initiatives
Recruit student leaders
Develop a shared language and understanding of the postsecondary mental health context
Spaces for Connection
Create a virtual platform for regular, asynchronous engagement (e.g., Slack/Teams)
Set up designated spaces for students
Plan annual in-person gatherings
Knowledge Mobilization & Communication
Launch a digital library (e.g., resources, project list, blog) Consider newsletters for ongoing updates
Leverage and consolidate existing global resources and tools
Research & Data
Support large-scale collaborative data collection
Facilitate research that reflects institutional diversity and practical application
WHAT’S NEXT?
Phase One
We will re-engage event participants with a summary of the symposium and an invitation to join one of two foundational working groups. These groups will (1) define the CoP’s identity, including its mission, vision, values, and communication structure, and (2) develop a research and people matrix to map key projects and individuals across the network.
Phase Two
We will establish a virtual platform to support ongoing collaboration and host the first CoP meeting to review progress and finalize the CoP’s identity and governance.
Two key working “Cores” will then be launched: a Research Core to advance a global, collaborative project and a Knowledge Mobilization Core to produce an accessible, practical output such as a directory of people and resources.
