Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine: creating a supportive environment for postgraduate students
March 11, 2026
5 minute read: Explore the three aspects guiding the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine’s support for postgraduate students, the impact this approach has had on international student wellbeing and what other institutions can learn from their experience.
At a time when postgraduate students, particularly international students, face increasing complexity and pressure, university support and networks are vital.
The Student Experience & Wellbeing Team at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine created a proactive, inclusive support model rooted in research, data, and compassion for their uniquely diverse student body.
With around 50% of students from sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia, the team has developed an approach that genuinely understands and responds to the realities of international postgraduate study. Their approach is personal, proactive and research-driven – and now nationally recognised as the winner of the #WeAreInternational Award for Outstanding Student Support (physical and mental wellbeing).
Creating a supportive environment for postgraduate students
The Student Experience & Wellbeing Team’s support model is built on three aspects: compassionate personal support, building a positive environment, and evidence led decision-making:
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Compassionate personal support: listening, understanding and compassion
As a small institution with a diverse international postgraduate cohort, LSTM places particular value on one-to-one support. Early wellbeing meetings help students settle into their studies, build trust and proactively raise awareness of available services. This ensures key information, such as LSTM counselling, GP registration and other NHS services, is clearly understood.
For many international students navigating new cultural, academic and healthcare systems, this one-to-one approach has been transformative. Mia Lindfield, Student Academic Support Officer, says:
“Many international students arrive with complex personal, cultural and educational experiences that shape their support needs. Our approach is grounded in empathetic listening, curiosity and respect for each student’s individual story. This helps students feel comfortable sharing experiences that might otherwise remain beneath the surface, and enables us to offer practical, tailored advice.”
Combining early intervention, clear signposting and appropriate onward referral has led to fewer crisis-driven counselling referrals and increased engagement with support earlier in the academic year.
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Helping students thrive: positive psychology to create an inclusive environment
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine’s approach is inspired by the core elements of Seligman’s (2012) PERMA model of positive psychology:
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Positive emotion, through a warm, inclusive environment
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Engagement, through intellectually stimulating teaching, research-led learning and opportunities for students to actively contribute
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Relationships, through building connections between students, teaching staff supervisors, professional services staff and the wider academic community.
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Meaning, through reinforcing the societal and global impact of their work
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Accomplishment, through milestones, skill development and personal growth
These elements shape everything from academic support to extracurricular activities, helping students build confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging. Mia explains:
“Coming to study in the UK should be an exciting opportunity for students to grow, develop as an individual, and unlock their potential.”
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Evidence-led support: student feedback to inform changes
To optimise wellbeing, the team believes it is essential to understand both what works, and what challenges students face, and believe that the most impactful, practical solutions are found through qualitative insights from comments in surveys.
Through specialised research software (NVivo and Leximancer) and qualitative analysis, they can target interventions where they matter most. Their agility as a small institution means they can respond quickly to affect change, resulting in major improvements, such as:
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Reducing the intensity of teaching in early weeks after feedback highlighted burnout and stress
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Redesigning the induction process to be less overwhelming
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Introducing interventions to support late-arriving students who previously struggled in their first assignments
Measuring impact: evidence of a thriving postgraduate community
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine’s evolving support model has produced clear and compelling results and they have seen a rise in the national Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) rankings in overall satisfaction. In 2023 they ranked 6th place in the PTES, by last year in 2025 they ranked 1st place. Including within the ‘community’, ‘support’, and ‘engagement’ categories of the survey.
Qualitative data also shows a year-on-year decline in negative feedback around teaching intensity and other study stressors, demonstrating that curriculum adjustments and wellbeing interventions are having the desired impact.
What other institutions can learn
LSTM emphasises that while not every institution can replicate its approaches, the core principles are universally applicable:
Martyn Stewart, Head of Student Experience says:
“Some of our approaches will be less scalable to larger institutions, but our core model of listening and learning from students, positive psychology, and optimising analysis of student feedback to direct supportive interventions are core principles are transferable.”
By placing the student voice at the centre of their wellbeing strategy, LSTM has created a model that not only improves academic outcomes, but builds belonging, resilience and community.
If you’d like to find out more about embedding student voice in your institution, explore UKCISA’s #WeAreInternational Student Charter.
Connect with peers and learn about how they are supporting international students at the UKCISA Annual Conference 2026, 23-25 June in Glasgow.
