The ESHEILD project was launched in University College Cork (UCC) on 29 February 2025 at an event attended by harm reduction experts, policy-makers, and student representatives. With further higher education institutions (HEIs) expected to adopt the initiative, ESHEILD marks the beginning of a coordinated national effort to reduce drug-related harms and risks among students across Ireland.

The ESHEILD project, which is based in UCC and is funded by the Department of Health, is a multi-strand initiative that aims to support HEIs in tackling student drug use by providing students with the MyUSE app and guiding HEIs to implement the Framework for Response to the Use of Illicit Substances within Higher Education.

ESHEILD was developed in response to findings from the Drug Use in Higher Education in Ireland (DUHEI) survey, which gathered responses from over 11,500 students across 21 HEIs.1 The findings demonstrated the high prevalence of drug use in the Irish student population, with more than one-half of participants reporting use of illicit substances. Importantly, more than one-half of students surveyed felt that drug use has a negative impact on student life, and more than one-half of current drug users were found to be at moderate or substantial risk of harms arising from their drug use. These results highlighted the need for evidence-based and student-centred interventions, an approach ESHEILD takes by combining digital innovation, behavioural science, and institutional policy reform.

The ESHEILD Implementation Team includes Dr Michael Byrne, Head of UCC Student Health; Professor Samantha Dockray and Dr Conor Linehan, School of Applied Psychology; Professor Ciara Heavin, Business Information Systems; Dr Seán Millar, School of Public Health and European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) Irish national focal point; Dr Sheena McHugh, School of Public Health; Piotr Janus, Business Information Systems; and Siobhán Thomas, School of Applied Psychology. The programme will support students and HEIs to reduce harms experienced through drug use. It also aims to reduce the overall number of students choosing to take drugs. Each participating Irish HEI will be provided with MyUSE, a prevention, education, and behavioural change intervention digital tool that aims to increase mindful decision-making with respect to drug use, cultivate harm reduction practices in the HEI context, and promote alternatives to drug use activities.

Professor Samantha Dockray led the development of the MyUSE algorithm, which draws on evidence-based science to deliver 29 behavioural change techniques to students in HEIs. The MyUSE app was developed for all students, whether they use drugs or not, and provides individualised information and supports in order to reduce harms associated with drug use and enhance students' psychosocial well-being.

The second strand of the ESHEILD project will see the implementation of a framework in conjunction with local and regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. This second strand provides an action plan to address the use of illicit substances and related harms in Irish HEIs, and it includes four core recommendations for HEIs: (1) developing institution-specific policies; (2) implementation of an action plan; (3) assigning a senior officer to develop and implement these; and (4) facilitating student engagement with the collection of data related to drug use.

ESHEILD Principal Investigator Dr Michael Byrne speaking at the launch of the project at UCC.

ESHEILD Principal Investigator Dr Michael Byrne was lead member of the Rapid Response Group convened to develop the Framework for Response to the Use of Illicit Substances within Higher Education. Speaking about the project, Dr Michael Byrne said:

The Framework contains a series of 16 actions that higher education institutions in Ireland can implement to reduce harms experienced through drug use. From core actions such as developing a drugs and alcohol policy for their institution right through to ensuring that there is access to addiction and recovery services on campus, implementing this Framework ensures that there is an effective multicomponent approach to harm reduction in the HEI sector in Ireland.

1    Byrne M, Dick S, Ryan L, et al. (2022) The Drug Use in Higher Education in Ireland (DUHEI) Survey 2021: main findings. Cork: University College Cork. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/35515/