Member Article

Bath Spa University and London Business School join Fika's 2019 Emotional Fitness Programme

Bath Spa University and London Business School have become the latest higher education institutions to join forces with Emotional Fitness app Fika in its mission to mainstream Emotional Fitness across UK students.

Alongside existing partner universities including Exeter, Lincoln, Manchester Metropolitan and CUSU: London Campus, Bath Spa University and London Business School will support Fika as it aims to raise the national agenda surrounding the importance of regular emotional exercise for students’ attainment, employability and wellbeing.

Both universities will also pilot the app across their students to improve their focus, resilience, confidence and ability to channel stress, optimising their academic performance.

Widely recognised as one of the world’s best Business Schools, London Business School has commended Fika as a tool that will help universities build “the scaffolding to effectively support students at all levels with their emotional health”.

Sharon Rankin, Wellbeing Services Manager at London Business School, said: “The key thing that appeals to me about Fika is that it normalises discussions around emotional health. It also empowers students, giving them the tools to manage and improve their emotional fitness over the long term.

“It will allow our high-performing, high-achieving students to feel more connected as they go through their post-graduate studies, encouraging them to open up to each other and find balance.”

“Fika is a more effective long-term solution,” said Rankin, “improving a sense of self-efficacy and encouraging openness and inclusion across the student community.”

Sara Gallagher, Head of Student Support at Bath Spa University, said: “We’ve always been proactive and progressive when it comes to student mental health at Bath Spa, and our attainment data shows this proactive approach really works.

“Fika offers something very different and refreshing: it’s highly inclusive, and it destigmatises mental health by using new language. We’re really excited to partner with Fika, and to experiment with all the different ways we can use it. We have very high hopes for Fika.”

Dr Rebecca Schaaf, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at Bath Spa University, said: “Going to university today is a serious investment and comes with its own pressures - it’s as important to us as ever to ensure students feel emotionally well and in control of their lives.

“We’re very excited to add Fika to our student wellbeing offering and couldn’t be more supportive of their mission to change the way young people think about and approach their own emotional health.”

Nick Bennett, co-founder & CEO of Fika, said: “We’re delighted to join forces with Bath Spa University and London Business School in our mission to mainstream Emotional Fitness across the UK’s students. They are both fantastic institutions with incredible heritages - we’re privileged to be working with them.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Joe Thompson .