Supplementary file 1_Towards sustainable funding for Recovery Colleges: lessons from Germany for advancing recovery-oriented psychiatry.docx

Five evidence-informed arguments are discussed across individual, organizational, system, and community levels: Recovery Colleges may contribute to (1) strengthening self-determination and empowerment, (2) complement recovery-oriented mental health systems through education and peer-supported learning, (3) contribute to reducing stigma and strengthening mental health literacy, (4) foster co-production and recovery-oriented organizational cultures, and (5) support social inclusion and community participation.

Although qualitative and mixed-methods studies increasingly suggest beneficial experiences associated with Recovery College participation, the current evidence base remains heterogeneous, and conclusions regarding effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and broader system-level impacts require further high-quality research. Accordingly, Recovery Colleges should be understood as promising recovery-oriented educational infrastructures rather than established clinical interventions with demonstrated effectiveness.

Sustainable structural support may enable Recovery Colleges to maintain their educational philosophy, co-production principles, and community-based orientation while becoming more sustainably embedded within mental health systems. Investment in Recovery Colleges therefore represents an investment in participatory, recovery-oriented infrastructures that recognize lived experience as a valuable source of knowledge and strengthen opportunities for inclusion, empowerment, and collaborative learning.</p>