Arabian Gulf University has stepped up its student support efforts with a specialised “Psychological First Aid” workshop aimed at staff who deal directly with students, as the institution moves to strengthen early intervention and mental health awareness across campus.
The programme was organised by the Student Counseling Unit under the Deanship of Student Affairs and brought together dormitory supervisors and deanship personnel for four hours of practical training. The workshop focused on how frontline staff can respond when students show signs of distress, and how to recognise when a case should be referred to specialists.
Set against a wider push across universities in the Gulf and beyond to improve student wellbeing services, the workshop signals how higher education institutions are broadening their understanding of campus safety. Physical security and academic support remain central, but mental health preparedness is now being treated as part of the same responsibility. At Arabian Gulf University, that approach is being framed not as a one-off awareness event but as part of a longer institutional effort to create a more supportive learning environment.
According to details released by the university, the workshop was presented by Masouma Al-Aali, head of the Student Counseling Unit, and counsellor Mohamed Hajji. Training centred on four areas: defining professional roles in initial psychological support, examining evidence-based support methods, introducing practical tools used in the field, and explaining referral pathways so students can be directed to appropriate care without delay.
That structure reflects a broader international understanding of psychological first aid. Rather than clinical therapy, the model is designed as humane, practical and supportive assistance delivered in the early stages of distress. It places emphasis on listening, calming, assessing immediate needs and linking a person to further help where necessary. For universities, that makes the concept particularly relevant because many of the first people to observe changes in student behaviour are not psychiatrists or psychologists, but supervisors, tutors, administrative staff and residence personnel.
Arabian Gulf University said the workshop was intended to improve preparedness and early intervention skills, helping participants provide fast and safe initial support while reducing the risk of escalation. The university also described administrative and field staff as a first line of defence in identifying student needs and responding effectively, a formulation that captures how student support systems are increasingly being built around wider campus participation rather than specialist offices alone.
Dr Aseel Fouad Al Saleh, Dean of Student Affairs, said equipping staff with basic mental health first aid skills was a strategic investment that extended beyond emergency handling and helped lay the foundation for a more aware and cohesive university environment. Her remarks place the initiative within a larger cultural shift in higher education, where the goal is not only to react when a crisis emerges but to foster habits of active listening, timely support and mutual responsibility across campus life.
That approach has gained ground internationally as educators and public health specialists warn that academic pressure, social isolation, uncertainty about careers and the strain of adjusting to university life can all affect student wellbeing. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, education settings have increasingly been recognised as important locations for mental health promotion and early support, especially in systems where specialist services may be limited and where non-specialist staff can play a meaningful role in identifying problems early.
For Arabian Gulf University, the workshop also fits with a pattern of student-focused mental health activity. Over the past year, the Deanship of Student Affairs has organised support-oriented events and workshops tied to student wellbeing, including programmes around exam pressure and emotional expression. That continuity matters. Universities are often criticised when wellbeing efforts appear symbolic or sporadic, but recurring training and awareness programmes suggest a more structured attempt to embed mental health support into daily campus operations.
Still, the effectiveness of such workshops will ultimately depend on follow-through. Training sessions can improve confidence and awareness, but institutions also need clear referral systems, accessible counselling services, confidentiality safeguards and enough staff capacity to respond when concerns are raised. Mental health specialists have long argued that awareness campaigns are most useful when backed by durable systems and when staff are given repeated opportunities to refresh skills rather than relying on a single session.
The programme was organised by the Student Counseling Unit under the Deanship of Student Affairs and brought together dormitory supervisors and deanship personnel for four hours of practical training. The workshop focused on how frontline staff can respond when students show signs of distress, and how to recognise when a case should be referred to specialists.
Set against a wider push across universities in the Gulf and beyond to improve student wellbeing services, the workshop signals how higher education institutions are broadening their understanding of campus safety. Physical security and academic support remain central, but mental health preparedness is now being treated as part of the same responsibility. At Arabian Gulf University, that approach is being framed not as a one-off awareness event but as part of a longer institutional effort to create a more supportive learning environment.
According to details released by the university, the workshop was presented by Masouma Al-Aali, head of the Student Counseling Unit, and counsellor Mohamed Hajji. Training centred on four areas: defining professional roles in initial psychological support, examining evidence-based support methods, introducing practical tools used in the field, and explaining referral pathways so students can be directed to appropriate care without delay.
That structure reflects a broader international understanding of psychological first aid. Rather than clinical therapy, the model is designed as humane, practical and supportive assistance delivered in the early stages of distress. It places emphasis on listening, calming, assessing immediate needs and linking a person to further help where necessary. For universities, that makes the concept particularly relevant because many of the first people to observe changes in student behaviour are not psychiatrists or psychologists, but supervisors, tutors, administrative staff and residence personnel.
Arabian Gulf University said the workshop was intended to improve preparedness and early intervention skills, helping participants provide fast and safe initial support while reducing the risk of escalation. The university also described administrative and field staff as a first line of defence in identifying student needs and responding effectively, a formulation that captures how student support systems are increasingly being built around wider campus participation rather than specialist offices alone.
Dr Aseel Fouad Al Saleh, Dean of Student Affairs, said equipping staff with basic mental health first aid skills was a strategic investment that extended beyond emergency handling and helped lay the foundation for a more aware and cohesive university environment. Her remarks place the initiative within a larger cultural shift in higher education, where the goal is not only to react when a crisis emerges but to foster habits of active listening, timely support and mutual responsibility across campus life.
That approach has gained ground internationally as educators and public health specialists warn that academic pressure, social isolation, uncertainty about careers and the strain of adjusting to university life can all affect student wellbeing. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, education settings have increasingly been recognised as important locations for mental health promotion and early support, especially in systems where specialist services may be limited and where non-specialist staff can play a meaningful role in identifying problems early.
For Arabian Gulf University, the workshop also fits with a pattern of student-focused mental health activity. Over the past year, the Deanship of Student Affairs has organised support-oriented events and workshops tied to student wellbeing, including programmes around exam pressure and emotional expression. That continuity matters. Universities are often criticised when wellbeing efforts appear symbolic or sporadic, but recurring training and awareness programmes suggest a more structured attempt to embed mental health support into daily campus operations.
Still, the effectiveness of such workshops will ultimately depend on follow-through. Training sessions can improve confidence and awareness, but institutions also need clear referral systems, accessible counselling services, confidentiality safeguards and enough staff capacity to respond when concerns are raised. Mental health specialists have long argued that awareness campaigns are most useful when backed by durable systems and when staff are given repeated opportunities to refresh skills rather than relying on a single session.
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