3.3 Collaborations and Health Services
3.3.1 Current Collaborations with Health Institutions
3.3.2 Health Outreach Programmes
3.3.3 Shared Sports Facilities
3.3.4 Health Care Services for Students
3.3.5 & 3.3.7 Mental Health Support for Students and Staff
3.3.6 Smoke-free Policy
Counseling and Mental Health Support
Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) recognizes that mental health and emotional well-being are essential to achieving success in both academic and professional life. In alignment with SDG 3.3.5: Mental Health Support for Students and SDG 3.3.7: Mental Health Support for Staff, the University provides comprehensive mental health support services that are designed to promote good mental health and ensure accessible care for all members of the GUST community.
Through its Counseling Unit, GUST actively promotes good mental health by offering workshops, awareness sessions, and one-on-one counseling to help students and employees manage stress, anxiety, and other personal or work-related challenges. The University provides free access to mental health support for students, faculty, and staff through confidential counseling sessions conducted by a certified counselor, Ms. Nauf N. Al Habsi. These services include short-term therapy, crisis intervention, and referral to external specialists when additional care is needed. By providing professional and confidential support on campus, GUST ensures that mental health services are both accessible and stigma-free.
The Counseling Unit plays a vital role in fostering resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness among the GUST community, helping individuals develop coping strategies and maintain a balanced, healthy mindset. In addition, employees receive comprehensive health insurance coverage, which includes access to mental health care and psychological support services, fulfilling the requirement for charged access to mental health support when referred to off-campus providers.
These initiatives collectively address the three key categories of both indicators — active promotion of good mental health, free access to on-campus support, and charged access through external health care plans. By integrating mental health care into its institutional framework, GUST demonstrates its long-term commitment to creating a supportive, healthy, and inclusive learning and working environment that prioritizes the well-being of every member of its community.
3rd Annual GUST Health and Wellness Exhibition
In alignment with SDG 3.3.5, GUST organized the 3rd Annual Health and Wellness Exhibition in 2024, led by the Counseling Unit in collaboration with the Management Club. The week-long event featured participation from local clinics and wellness centers, including Argan Riaya Specialized Hospital, Anara Center for Mental Health, Fawzia Sultan Healthcare Network, and others. It offered the GUST community opportunities to explore health resources, receive expert advice, and engage in interactive activities promoting physical and mental well-being.
The exhibition also hosted a series of talks by distinguished speakers such as Dr. Amir Zourob (Neuropsychiatrist, FSHN), focusing on “Mental Health Matters: Prioritizing Well-being in Student Life.” This initiative reflects GUST’s continuous commitment to supporting the holistic health of its students, faculty, and staff
Health Week at GUST
As part of GUST’s commitment to supporting mental well-being for both students and staff, the University incorporated dedicated mental health awareness activities during Health Week in November 2025, organized by the Marketing Club. One of the key features of the event was the presence of a psychiatry and mental wellness booth hosted by the Fawzia Sultan Healthcare Network (FSHN), a well-known provider of psychological and healthcare services in Kuwait. The booth offered guidance, information, and one-on-one conversations to help the GUST community better understand mental health, recognize early signs of stress or burnout, and learn when and how to seek support.
By bringing professional mental health practitioners directly to campus and creating a welcoming space for open dialogue, GUST actively promotes good mental health practices and ensures accessible support pathways — fulfilling SDG indicators 3.3.5 and 3.3.7. The initiative benefited both students and staff by increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and making trusted mental health resources more visible and approachable within the university environment.
