Closed petition Introduce new rules regarding the suicide of higher education students

Closed on 8 May 2023

We want: 1. Coroners to inform universities when the suicide of an enrolled student is registered 2. Universities to publish annually the suicide rate of enrolled students 3. New powers to place universities into ‘special measures’ where suicide rates exceed that of the national average.

We are calling the proposed changes, 'Harry's Law'. Named after 21-year-old Harry Armstrong Evans who took his own life while studying at Exeter University. Currently, there is no mechanism by which universities must record or publish their student suicide rates, yet too many - like Harry - take their life each year. Prospective students and parents should be able to review suicide rates as part of the decision-making process when choosing a university.