Mental health challenges in relation to academics are a major issue that many students face today. The
Post-Secondary Mental Health and Well-Being Research and Knowledge Hub (The Hub) at the University of Calgary (U of C) is a space that aids in facilitating and supporting meaningful investigations into psychological health on campus.
Life as a university student can often be a balancing act, where individuals must juggle various academic, extracurricular and financial demands along with hobbies and social relationships. The pressure caused by these expectations and responsibilities has been linked to experiences of anxiety and depression for those who attend university. With around 75% of Canadian students reporting that they have struggled with their mental health while studying, various institutions across the country, including the U of C, have invested in research in order to address this growing crisis.
The Hub of the most recent developments of the university’s Campus Mental Health Strategy. The creation of the initiative began in 2024 as a collaborative effort between the U of C’s Community Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy (CMHWS) and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education.
Dr. Jennifer Thannhauser is the Academic Director of the Mental Health & Well-being in the Office of Institutional Commitments and Evaluation, and is also the Research Lead for UCalgary’s Community Mental Health and Well-being Strategy. She spoke with the Gauntlet about the development of The Hub and the work currently being facilitated through it.
“[The Hub] was developed to essentially create an intentional space that brings together researchers, students, service providers, academic staff and non-academic staff, who are all interested in enabling and building knowledge around post-secondary mental health and well-being,” said Thannhauser.
She stresses that The Hub is not a laboratory or a traditional research space but a collaborative ecosystem that brings together individuals from various education backgrounds to “develop research that aligns with shared priorities within higher education.”
Thannhauser has been involved with The Hub since its inception, being a part of the initial conversations about what would be the best way to bring individuals together in order to engage in post-secondary mental health research on campus. She describes how an integral part of the creation of this space was consulting with academics, students and community members, so it was important for her to consult multiple academics and students in the creation of the facility to ensure the mission, values and goals of the hub aligned with those who would be utilizing it.
“We really didn't want it to be something that was driven by a single researcher. We wanted it to be something that was created by the community for the community,” Thannhauser said.
Since The Hub launched in early 2025, it has been utilized to support various research projects. This includes studies focusing on how mental health and well-being are affected by peer mentorship programs and Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) taking place at the U of C. Thannhauser describes how a goal for this research is to highlight how students' well-being can be improved within the context of academic systems.
“I think one of the things that we're trying to do through some of this research is recognize that mental health and well-being is more than just access to counselling services, but it's really about the broader system [...] and how that influences mental health and well-being for the whole community,” Thannhauser said.
One of the major projects facilitated by The Hub in the last year was the working group series. For five sessions, The Hub hosted groups of researchers who were tasked with designing research that contributes to or is connected with post-secondary mental health. At the end of this process, six new research projects were produced, each made with the intention of creating impact at the university.
Thannhauser describes how the next steps for these research projects are to secure funding for the work, likely through institutional, provincial or national grants.
Thannhauser describes how one of the most significant successes of The Hub is how individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds have been engaging with the initiative. Undergraduates, graduates, academic staff, and nonacademic staff utilize the space, resources and opportunities provided through The Hub, likely as a result of how the initiative’s creation was heavily influenced through outreach and discussion involving members of all of these groups.
Currently, the plans for The Hub include continuing and expanding on its current resources and services. Upcoming events connected with the initiative include research showcases and training opportunities for students. Because The Hub has only been active for a short amount of time, many of the research projects connected to The Hub are still in their initial stages. Thannhauser expects that in a few years, the data and results of these studies will hopefully be used to implement changes in how the university approaches student mental health.
Altogether, the Post-Secondary Mental Health and Well-Being Research and Knowledge Hub facilitates grounding research by bridging the gap between individuals from all levels of academia. Through this, individuals can train to become better researchers while making important contributions.
