Exploration of effective alcohol policy in higher education

Introduction

In 2019, the Trimbos Institute and Tranzo, the scientific centre for care and well-being of Tilburg University, conducted an exploration of effective alcohol policy in higher education. The aim of this exploration was: 1. To investigate what effective alcohol policy could look like. Existing initiatives in the Netherlands were mapped out, as well as whether there was scientific evidence for these initiatives. In addition, foreign interventions and policy measures that could complement the Dutch initiatives were identified. 2. To investigate how effective alcohol policy could be implemented.

The exploration was conducted through (1) interviews with higher education institutions, (2) a literature review of effective alcohol interventions in higher education, and (3) feedback through focus groups and following a working conference held in Rotterdam on 23 January. The results of this exploration were incorporated into a report that was submitted to the House of Representatives in May 2020. This clickable PDF contains a summary of that report. The report provides tools that an educational institution can use when developing an integrated alcohol policy.

Four pillars

Following the example of, among others, the Healthy School approach, these tools have been divided into four pillars:

1. POLICY AND REGULATIONS: agreements, rules and protocols on how alcohol is handled are incorporated into a broadly supported and clearly communicated alcohol policy.

2. ENVIRONMENT: the physical environment is designed in such a way that the desired behaviour is the easy choice. In the social environment, the norm supports the idea that alcohol use has no place in an environment where people learn and work.

3. IDENTIFICATION AND REFERRAL: Student counsellors are willing and able to recognise when alcohol use is hindering academic success and well-being, to engage in conversation with students and to refer them to information and support.

4. INFORMATION AND HEALTH EDUCATION: reliable information about alcohol and drug use is made readily accessible to students and, wherever possible, given a place in the curriculum. Referrals to forms of advice, support and care, as well as information about the educational institution’s alcohol policy, are also available and easy to find.

This exploration focused on ‘Policy and Regulations’ and ‘Supervision and enforcement’ (pillars 1 and 2). More information about ‘Identification and Referral’ and ‘Information and health education’ (pillars 3 and 4) can be found in previously published information sheets from the Trimbos Institute.

Download the free report here.