Current status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in partnership with Education Scotland to mitigate any detrimental impact of remote learning on the mental health of students in higher education.
Universities and colleges have a duty of care to support their students, and if any have experienced difficulty or have concerns about studying remotely they should contact their institution as soon as possible in order to access the support they need.
We are aware of the impact of the pandemic on student mental health and wellbeing, and have continued to address this, through that period, by providing additional funding to help students deal with the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, support to NUS Scotland and student associations for vital welfare support for students in colleges and universities and additional funding for colleges to help students and staff respond to the pandemic.
The Scottish Government is committed to the development of a research and evidence informed Student Mental Health Action Plan and we are re-establishing the Student Mental Health and Well Being Working Group to help take this forward.