In her role, Ruby will support the School’s mission to deliver the most dynamic, effective and caring healthcare professionals in the UK. She will contribute to research, curriculum development, teaching and public engagement, and will work with undergraduate students from a range of subjects, including Mental Health Nursing. Ruby will also present occasional lectures and workshops to students sharing her expertise and insights on mental health.
Professor Nora Kearney, Head of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Surrey, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Ruby Wax to the staff at the University. Her work as mental health campaigner is an inspiration to our staff and students and her involvement in the School will mean we can open a very real discussion about how to improve the care and support for individuals with mental health issues. ”
Recently awarded an OBE for her services to mental health, Ruby has completed a Master's degree in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from the University of Oxford and published a number one best-selling book, Sane New World: Taming the Mind. She now works widely as a mental health campaigner, seeking to put an end to the stigma surrounding mental health.
"I am delighted to have been given this opportunity by the University of Surrey. I am very much looking forward to sharing my experiences to help inform the students' teaching and learning, particularly in the area of mental health, and make a contribution in developing their skills to become the very best healthcare professionals," said Ruby Wax.
The University of Surrey is committed to ending the stigma around mental illness. Last year, it signed a pledge with Time to Change, a programme run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. A signing ceremony took place during which Ruby discussed her struggles with depression, her curiosity to explore how the brain works and how techniques such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can help soothe the mind and reduce stress.
Notes to Editors:
The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford, Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park, which provides facilities for 110 companies employing 2,750 staff. The University of Surrey was recently ranked 4th in The Guardian league table of UK universities for 2016.