On February 27, at U of T’s Faculty Club, student researchers, faculty members and staff from the U of T community gathered to discuss the challenges that persist in post-secondary student mental health, and seek ways to mobilize the knowledge being generated by their research, to create real and lasting change for student mental health and well-being at U of T.
This was the second Annual Research Symposium to be hosted by Inlight, the tri-campus Student Mental Health Research Initiative at U of T, led by Bloomberg Nursing Associate Professor Kristin Cleverley, and which emphasises student-engagement at the core of its research mandate.
Bilal Qureshi, an international student at U of T Scarborough and one of the co-chairs of the Inlight Research Symposium reiterated the importance of making academia a more inclusive space. Diversity he said, is at the core of a person’s sense of wellbeing, and Canada is at the forefront of championing mental health.
“Your work as researchers and policy makers around these efforts, have a real and lasting impact on students like me,” said Qureshi
Building on the momentum of previous years, the 2025 symposium focused on bridging the gaps that exist in mental health and wellness for students in post-secondary education and barriers to their inclusion and engagement in research.
“What makes today’s symposium special is our amplification of student engagement and student voices,” said Kristin Cleverley, Director and Chair of Inlight in her opening remarks. “Each of the sessions today are shaped by our student advisory committee – motivated leaders who are driving important conversations on student mental health research.”
Cleverley, who is also the Rossy Chair in Campus Mental Health at U of T, also announced the expansion of Inlight’s Research Fellowship program. The 2024-25 cohort includes 15 graduate student researchers, who will participate in a tailored training program in support of knowledge mobilization.
Before the symposium got under way, the audience also heard from the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Canada’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health. Minister Saks shared how much of her work is driven by a desire to ensure that Canadians have access to high quality and culturally appropriate mental health services and supports.
“Young people are grappling with realities that many of us did not experience in our youth, from disruptive technology to climate change, and the rising cost of living,” said Saks. “We have heard from young people that they want tools and resources that go beyond coping and building resilience. Today you [as researchers] are exploring these questions and discussing solutions about what mental health can and should be for young people. With listening comes action and with listening, comes change.”
The interactive format of the symposium provided a unique opportunity for attendees to discuss barriers preventing students from engaging in research on mental health. An interactive storytelling exercise, designed by Inlight’s Student Advisory Committee and informed by their shared lived experiences, allowed the audience to provide real-time responses.
The goal was to champion the importance of listening to diverse student experiences as part of the student engagement and co-creation process, a key feature in the facilitation of the remaining sessions for the day.
For Amika Shah, a PhD student at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), the entire symposium was a chance to gather student perspectives from across the tri-campus community and mobilize them to engage in a collaborative approach to student mental health research, no matter an individual’s lived experience or research background.
“Students know their experience best, but this is sometimes underestimated,” says Shah, “It’s important that we narrow that gap as much as we can, not only to improve the quality of research but also so that we can build and expand the field of student mental health research.”
Shah was one of twelve speakers presenting in lightning rounds – rapid fire sessions highlighting some of the important research being funded through Inlight Research Fellowships and Grants. She discussed her work together with Professor Emily Seto also of IHPME, which focused on residences as underexplored entry points into campus mental health care.
Burnout in student athletes, mental health among racialized students, and the implications of AI anxiety among post-secondary students, were some of the other research topics to be addressed during the lightning talks.
The day ended with a mapping activity to discuss opportunities to mobilize knowledge that is ready to be shared, and brainstorm actions to support the implementation of existing research to support student mental health and wellbeing at U of T.
“We want to increase our shared understanding of what factors are influencing student mental health and well-being,” said members of the Inlight Student Advisory Committee, “we want to take these learnings and make them actionable, in order to co-create real change.”