Collective responsibility, collective action to prevent student suicide

We are pleased to share the publication of new guidance for the higher education (HE) sector to reduce risk and restrict access to means of student suicide. This very practical guidance, based on current evidence from research, serious incident reviews and inquest data, is designed to help providers think through key issues when addressing risk factors and reducing/restricting access to potential means and methods of suicide in a higher education context. The development of this guidance has been supported by a large stakeholder reference group with multiple author contributors from the HE sector including researchers and practitioners, bereaved family members and student peers as well as many relevant national stakeholder groups.  The guidance has been funded by Unite Students with Symplicity and will be officially launched at the University of Manchester on 11 October 2024.

This guidance is intended to sit within the existing portfolio of HE guidance around suicide prevention and postvention. In 2018, Universities UK (UUK) and PAPYRUS jointly published Suicide-safer universities guidance, which covered prevention of suicide and compassionate responses to suicide in universities. In December 2022, Universities UK, PAPYRUS and Samaritans jointly published sector-led guidance on ‘How to respond to a student suicide'. 

The updated version of the document, published on 26 November 2024, features changes to page 68.