16 GBA universities reach consensus to integrate Lingnan University’s Wellness Ambassador Programme modules into peer counselling programmes

In his welcome speech, Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning at Lingnan University, said, “The GBA’s rapid socioeconomic transformation presents young people with multiple challenges in academics, career development, and life planning, exerting pressure on their mental health. Lingnan University has long prioritised students’ holistic development and actively leads efforts to advance the mental health of the GBA youth. We are delighted that the Wellness Ambassador Programme has attracted the attention of GBA institutions. Looking ahead, we plan to collaborate with policymakers to establish systematic psychological support in university communities, empowering youth to navigate an ever-changing era while pursuing their individual and societal aspirations with healthy mindsets.”

Launched by Lingnan’s research team in early 2020, WAP provides free, low-intensity, and systematic positive psychology education workshops that encourage students to improve their mental literacy and use it thoughtfully and generously. At the conference, more than 30 senior representatives from the faculties of 16 GBA universities discussed regional mental health cooperation, and Lingnan explained the effectiveness of its peer counsellor scheme administered by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Prof Li Hua, Director of Mental Health Education and Counselling Centre at Sun Yat-sen University and Chair of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Psychological Counselling Alliance, emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation and draw on the Confucian idea that “When I walk with two others, there must be one among them who can be my teacher” to build a “school-medical-community” cooperation model, providing professional support to students with mental health needs and encouraging students to share knowledge through mutual assistance. The conference focused on agreeing standard policy-level inclusion of WAP modules in the Alliance's peer counselling framework, and a united approach to peer support training in all member institutions.

Prof Siu Oi-ling, Head of Department of Psychology at Lingnan University and Vice Chair of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Psychological Counselling Alliance, discussed the mental health of the new generation, noting that university students are in a growth transition between adolescence and adulthood, and that “While they have advanced thinking skills, they are often struggling and confused as far as values and the meaning of life are concerned.”

She added, “The Alliance has observed an upward trend in overall psychological stress among university students, making peers crucial gatekeepers for early identification of emotional issues. Lingnan University plans to collaborate with GBA universities to build a knowledge-sharing platform and response mechanisms to demonstrate students’ psychological resilience, growth mindset, and social conscience. We hope to expand the programme to more Mainland and overseas institutions, so that it becomes a university mental health cooperation mechanism globally, and we look forward to seeing WAP modules reinforce peer counselling programmes throughout the Alliance. This will enable the young to acquire basic mental health knowledge and support skills, and to assist their peers and relatives proactively, creating a positive cycle of helping others while helping oneself, and a community ripple effect that enhances prosocial behaviour and civic engagement.”

WAP covers six major themes: basic counselling skills, psychological resilience, gratitude, stress coping strategies, growth mindset, and physiology. The programme has already been put into action in several Hong Kong secondary schools and universities, GBA institutions, and overseas universities, with over 800 students taking part, and Lingnan University finds that participants showed a significant advance in psychological resilience, growth mindset, positive emotions, and mental health afterwards. Over 90 per cent have since used these to help others, demonstrating a benign ripple effect, and the study also noted an improvement in sleep and emotional regulation. Some students have also joined the Counselling Supervision Taster Programme to prepare themselves for their future careers.

GBA Universities integrating Lingnan University’s Wellness Ambassador Programme modules (In no particular order):
Sun Yat-sen University

University of Macau

South China Normal University

Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (UIC)

Beijing Institute of Technology (Zhuhai)

Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai

Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)

Jinan University

City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan)

South China Agricultural University

Guangzhou College of Commerce

Guangdong Baiyun University

Shantou University

Guangdong Open University

Guangdong University of Technology

City University of Macau