SDG 3 Good Health and Wellbeing
Beirut Arab University Free Mental Health Support for Students and Staff
THE Impact Rankings Evidence Report
Indicator 3.3.5
Question | Does the university provide students and staff with access to free mental health support |
Institution | Beirut Arab University |
Assessment | Yes |
Evidence period | 2021 to 13 October 2026, with standing service arrangements and current webpages checked on 13 October 2026 |
Evidence standard | Official BAU service pages, dated BAU news, an official booking guide and an official cooperation agreement |
Direct answer Yes. BAU provides professional counselling free of charge to all enrolled students and current staff members through its Psychosocial Counselling Unit. The service is confidential, delivered by licensed psychologists, available for personal, academic and work-related concerns, and supported by clear appointment and referral arrangements.
Source Primary operational evidence from BAU
Psychosocial Counselling Unit
Executive Assessment
BAU meets the indicator directly. The University's current service page answers every material part of the question: it identifies the eligible groups, confirms that the counselling is free, describes the professional service, explains confidentiality, and provides a practical booking route. Dated evidence from 2024 and 2025 shows that the Unit is active and accompanied by preventive mental-health education.
Indicator element | Official evidence | Finding | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Students | Service available to all enrolled students | The eligible student population is explicit | Met |
Staff | Service available to current staff members | Employees have the same stated access route | Met |
Free access | Counselling is free of charge | No counselling fee applies to either group | Met |
Mental health support | Counselling sessions and awareness services | The provision includes responsive and preventive support | Met |
Operational access | Email, telephone, in-person booking and published hours | The service can be reached and scheduled | Met |
Evidence Basis
The report uses an evidence hierarchy. The Psychosocial Counselling Unit page is the core source because it records the current service conditions. The 2024 opening announcement and booking guide confirm implementation. Recent workshops and the cooperation protocol demonstrate awareness, prevention and professional capacity, but they are not substitutes for evidence of free individual counselling.
- Core evidence proves eligibility, cost, confidentiality and access arrangements.
- Implementation evidence shows that the service is active and reachable.
- Supporting evidence shows continuing awareness work and professional development around the service.
Institutional Accountability
The Unit is located within BAU's Faculty of Human Sciences and Psychology Department. Its current webpage names the responsible academic and specialist team, supplies University email addresses and telephone extensions, publishes opening hours, and links to booking instructions. This places the service within an identifiable institutional structure rather than an informal peer initiative.
Source BAU Psychosocial Counselling Unit
Free Counselling Access
Eligibility and Cost
BAU states that professional counselling services are available to all enrolled students and current staff members and are free of charge. The same page explains that users may discuss personal, academic or work-related concerns. This wording is important for the indicator because it confirms both required populations and makes staff-related concerns part of the service scope.
Source Eligibility, staff access and free counselling
Confidentiality and Professional Standards
BAU states that all counselling sessions are confidential. The Unit does not share counselling information with other University departments or place it on a student's transcript or certificate. BAU also identifies the Unit's psychologists as licensed professionals registered with the Lebanese Order of Psychologists and states that students do not train or work as counsellors in the Unit.
Source Confidentiality and licensed practitioners
Booking and Availability
Users may request an appointment by University email, telephone or an in-person visit during working hours. BAU publishes opening hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and states that individual sessions normally last about 45 minutes. The listed contact is psyc.counseling@bau.edu.lb, with telephone access through 01 300 110 extension 2906.
Source Current contact details and opening hours
Remote Student Access
BAU's official booking guide confirms continuation of psychological support for students through remote counselling sessions. The seven-page guide explains how to use a BAU email account to choose an available time, receive a Microsoft Teams link, reschedule or cancel, and contact the counselling team for help. It repeats the Monday-to-Thursday timetable and the 45-minute session length.
Source Official remote counselling booking guide
Service Model and Safeguards
Scope of Support
The Unit combines individual support with mental-health awareness. Its mission is to assist people who need psychological and social support through counselling sessions and awareness. BAU describes the service as a supportive setting for personal, academic and work-related concerns and lists counselling sessions and awareness campaigns as its essential services.
Source BAU counselling and awareness services
Service feature | Published arrangement | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
Individual counselling | Personalized discussion of concerns and goals | Provides direct mental-health support |
Confidentiality | Information is not shared with University departments | Reduces privacy barriers to help-seeking |
Qualified practitioners | Licensed psychologists registered with the professional order | Identifies professional responsibility |
Referral | Referral to BAUHC psychiatrists with the user's consent when needs exceed the Unit's scope | Creates a route to specialist care |
Awareness | Workshops and events on mental health and wellbeing | Adds preventive education to responsive care |
Referral Boundaries
The Unit does not prescribe medication. When a user needs support beyond the Unit's limits, BAU states that the person may be referred to psychiatrists at the Beirut Arab University Healthcare Center after consent. This distinction supports safe scope-of-practice management and links counselling with a higher level of care when required.
Source Referral and consent arrangements
Nondiscrimination
The Unit's standing description identifies nondiscrimination and equality as guiding principles. Together with the statement that access applies to all enrolled students and current staff members, this establishes an institution-wide eligibility rule rather than access restricted to a particular faculty or programme.
Source Unit principles and university-wide eligibility
Recent Implementation Evidence
Opening of the Unit in 2024
BAU formally opened the Psychosocial Counselling Unit on 29 February 2024. The University's announcement records participation by the President, Secretary-General, Faculty Dean, faculty deans, staff and students. It describes psychological, social and educational counselling, preventive programmes, support for healthier behaviour and dissemination of psychological awareness.
Source Official opening announcement 29 February 2024
Opening the Psychosocial Counselling Unit At Beirut Arab University
The Faculty of Human Sciences at Beirut Arab University opened the "Psychosocial Counselling Unit" in the presence of the President of the University, Professor Wael Nabil Abdel Salam, Secretary-General, Dr. Omar Houri, Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences, Professor Siddeeka Lasheen, Deans of faculties, faculty members and students.
This unit provides counselling services and interventions, including psychological, social and educational services for university students to enable them achieve psychosocial compatibility.
The unit seeks to promote self-development of students in need of psychological and social care and support through guidance and counselling sessions according to professional and ethical standards, as well as dissemination of psychological awareness.
The general objective of the Unit is to achieve students' mental health by:
- Providing psychosocial counselling services to students.
- Helping students develop their personalities and refine their skills.
- Modifying unhealthy behaviours resulting from life and social stress.
- Implementation of preventive and extension programmes for students.
- Empowering students to manage their lives efficiently and improve their ability to solve their problems.
- Working to disseminate psychological culture through different sectors at the university.
The idea of establishing this "unit" is part of the University's strategy and policy towards its surrounding to improve the conditions of its community and enable them achieve a healthier life.
Service Introduction in July 2024
On 3 and 4 July 2024, the Unit organized the activity Journey Through the Mind. BAU states that the activity was designed to spread mental-health awareness and introduce the Unit and the services it provides. This evidence shows that BAU did more than establish the service; it actively informed potential users about how the Unit could support them.
Source Introductory activity 3 and 4 July 2024
Introductory activity about the Psychosocial Counseling Unit
Introductory activity about the Psychosocial Counseling Unit
03 July 2024
Organizing an introductory activity about the Psychosocial Counseling Unit under the title Journey “Through the Mind”, on 3/07/2024 and 4/07/2024, with the aim of spreading awareness about mental health, and introducing the unit and the services it provides.
Preventive Workshops in 2025
BAU's Faculty of Human Sciences news record lists three Unit-related activities in February 2025: Psychological First Aid on 12 February, Burnout on 20 February and Stress Management on 28 February. The sequence shows continuing preventive programming after the Unit opened. The current Unit page also presents these topics as part of its workshop programme.
Source Faculty news and events record for 2024 and 2025
Source Current workshop programme
Stress Management
The workshop "Stress Management" was organized by the Psycho Social Counseling Unit at the Faculty of Human Sciences, in coordination with the Human Resources Department, on 28/02/2025. It was aimed at administrative staff and faculty members at Beirut Arab University.
The workshop aimed to provide attendees with effective information and strategies to cope with stress. It included open discussions, offering a great opportunity for experience sharing and practical advice. The workshop also witnessed a broad attendance from various departments within the university.
Psychological First Aid Workshop
The Faculty of Humanities, through the Psychological and Social Counseling Unit at Beirut Arab University, Tripoli branch, organized a workshop titled "Psychological First Aid" to raise awareness about mental health.
The workshop included interactive activities and practical exercises simulating real-life situations. Additionally, a group of psychology students distributed awareness brochures on the importance of mental health and organized a competition to address misconceptions about mental health.
Burnout
As part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness about mental health among university students, the Psychological and Social Counseling Unit at the Faculty of Humanities, Beirut branch, organized a workshop on "Burnout" on February 20, 2025.
The workshop addressed the concept of burnout and academic burnout, highlighting effective strategies for preventing academic burnout.
The 12 February 2025 Psychological First Aid workshop at the Tripoli branch included interactive exercises, practical simulations, student-distributed awareness material and a competition addressing misconceptions about mental health. This is dated evidence that BAU extended mental-health literacy and early-support skills beyond the Unit's individual counselling sessions.
Source Psychological First Aid workshop 12 February 2025
Psychological First Aid Workshop
The Faculty of Humanities, through the Psychological and Social Counseling Unit at Beirut Arab University, Tripoli branch, organized a workshop titled "Psychological First Aid" to raise awareness about mental health.
The workshop included interactive activities and practical exercises simulating real-life situations. Additionally, a group of psychology students distributed awareness brochures on the importance of mental health and organized a competition to address misconceptions about mental health.
Staff Access and Institutional Capacity
Direct Staff Access
The staff component is established by the Unit's operational page, not inferred from general wellbeing activity. BAU expressly includes current staff members within the eligible population for free professional counselling and states that sessions may address work-related concerns. The same confidentiality, professional and appointment conditions apply to the service described for the University community.
Source Direct evidence of free staff counselling
Mental Health at the Workplace Training
On 29 February 2024, BAU's Alumni and Career Center participated in a three-day Mental Health at the Workplace Training of Trainers programme. The programme was delivered by Education Development Center experts and funded by USAID. Its stated purpose was to equip trainers to teach students how to promote mental health in the workplace. This activity supports prevention and institutional capability; it is not used as proof that staff counselling is free.
Source Mental Health at the Workplace 29 February 2024
Mental Health at The Workplace
Mental Health at The Workplace
29 February 2024
The Alumni and Career Center from Beirut Arab University participated in the Higher Education Capacity Development Program (HECD) “Mental Health at the Workplace Training of Trainers,” delivered by EDC experts Dr. Heidi Kar and Dr. Susan Maxwell. and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
This training spans over a total of 3 consecutive days and includes hands-on training and activities. The training aimed to equip the trainers with the necessary skills and knowledge to train students on how to promote mental health at the workplace.
Psychological Testing Cooperation
On 17 January 2024, BAU signed a cooperation protocol with the Lebanese Association for Psychological Testing and Technology. BAU states that the protocol supports psychological evaluation, research and the integration of modern technologies in psychological practice. This agreement strengthens the professional environment surrounding the Unit, but the conclusion on free access remains grounded in the Unit's own service conditions.
Source Cooperation protocol 17 January 2024
Cooperation Agreement between Beirut Arab University and The Lebanese Association for Psychological Testing and Technology
Cooperation Agreement between Beirut Arab University and The Lebanese Association for Psychological Testing and Technology
17 January 2024
Beirut Arab University signed a cooperation protocol with the Lebanese Association for Psychological Testing and Technology, aimed at enhancing joint collaboration in psychological evaluation, research, and integrating modern technologies in psychological practices, on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
Continuing Awareness
BAU also records a Psychology Department event for World Mental Health Day on 2 November 2023. The event predates the formal 2024 opening but falls within the reporting period and demonstrates continuity between earlier awareness activity and the University's later institutional counselling provision.
Source World Mental Health Day 2 November 2023
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day
02 November 2023
Celebration of Psychology Department an event “World Mental Health Day” on 02/11/2023.
Evidence Matrix
Core sources prove the indicator. Supporting sources demonstrate implementation, awareness and professional capacity. This distinction avoids presenting a workshop or agreement as though it were evidence of an individual's entitlement to free counselling.
No | Evidence and date | Population | What it establishes | Role | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Psychosocial Counselling Unit current page, accessed 13 Oct 2026 | Students and current staff | Free, confidential professional counselling; booking, hours, licensed staff and referral | Direct service | Core |
2 | Official booking guide, current | Students | Remote booking steps, 45-minute sessions and Monday-to-Thursday availability | Access route | Core |
3 | Unit opening, 29 Feb 2024 | Students and University community | Formal institutional launch and defined counselling objectives | Implementation | Core |
4 | Journey Through the Mind, 3–4 Jul 2024 | Potential service users | Awareness of the Unit and its services | Implementation | Supporting |
5 | Psychological First Aid, Burnout and Stress Management, Feb 2025 | Students and participants | Continuing preventive mental-health programme | Prevention | Supporting |
6 | Mental Health at the Workplace, 29 Feb 2024 | Trainers and students | Workplace mental-health education capacity | Training | Supporting |
7 | Psychological testing protocol, 17 Jan 2024 | Psychology staff and students | Cooperation in evaluation, research and psychological practice | Capacity | Supporting |
8 | World Mental Health Day, 2 Nov 2023 | University participants | Mental-health awareness before the formal Unit launch | Continuity | Supporting |
Assessment Against the Indicator
Requirement | Evidence | Finding | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
University acts as a body | The Faculty of Human Sciences operates the Unit and BAU publishes its staff, contacts, hours and procedures | The service is institutionally owned and administered | Met |
Student access | All enrolled students are eligible; remote and in-person booking routes are published | Student access is explicit and operational | Met |
Staff access | Current staff members are expressly eligible and work-related concerns are within scope | Staff access is direct, not inferred | Met |
Free support | BAU states that counselling is free of charge for both groups | The financial-access requirement is explicit | Met |
Professional and confidential | Licensed psychologists, confidentiality rules and consent-based referral are documented | The service has defined safeguards and escalation | Met |
Current implementation | The Unit opened in 2024 and BAU recorded workshops through February 2025 | Recent delivery supports the current service page | Met |
Contribution to SDG 3
Free counselling removes a direct financial barrier to mental-health support for BAU students and staff. Confidential access supports early help-seeking, while licensed practitioners and consent-based referral connect users with appropriate care. Workshops on psychological first aid, burnout and stress management add preventive knowledge and practical coping skills. Together, these measures contribute to SDG 3 by supporting mental wellbeing within the University community.
Submission Conclusion
Beirut Arab University meets indicator 3.3.5. The strongest submission evidence is the current Psychosocial Counselling Unit page because it explicitly confirms free access for both enrolled students and current staff members. The 2024 opening announcement, official booking guide and dated 2024–2025 activities demonstrate that the service is implemented, reachable and accompanied by continuing mental-health education.
Recommended response for the THE portal Yes
Source Primary operational evidence