On September 28, the ECNU Well-being Research Space was officially opened. It is the newest building on campus.
ECNU opened the Well-being Research Space to its students and staff just before the official 70th anniversary of ECNU. The purpose of this research space is to help them relax and experience well-being. This launch upholds the university’s psychological education system of which the core lies in “immersing students in happiness, teaching students according to their aptitude and guiding students actively.” Through the Well-being Research Space, ECNU aims to put forward “happy” solutions for cultivating aspiring and healthy youths while taking their well-being concerns to a new level.
ECNU Well-being Research Space is about 160 square meters and is expected to accommodate 30 to 40 people. Despite its relatively small size, it provides a place for ECNUers to organize their thoughts and heal their hearts while leading a busy life.
Zhu Hong, Director of the Counseling and Psychological Services of ECNU, stated that the Well-being Research Space is used to provide ECNUers with various activities such as relaxation training, silent meditation, and group counseling. Now, the Well-being Research Space will be open to all ECNU students and staff at a fixed time (except official holidays), to provide a place for meditation and relaxation and for experiencing self-based stress reduction, further cultivating students’ sense of happiness and sense of mind.
After the launching ceremony, the teachers and students participated in a Happy Pressure-Relief Workshop, which was led by Wu Ran, Deputy Director of the Counseling and Psychological Services of ECNU. They were taught how to adjust the status both in body and mind “by maintaining awareness of the environment and themselves without judgment.” The teachers and students also took part in pressure-relief training while accompanied by soft music and instruction.
Mental health, as an important component Health+, is placed in a prominent position. ECNU’s “Flower of Happiness” program comprises five action plans: Education+, Ecology+, Health+, AI+ and Internationalization+.
In October 2019, the Well-being Research and Promotion Center of ECNU was established. Committed to education and teaching, scientific research, and student service practices in the field of happiness and well-being, the research center also explores how to provide services in more scientific and effective ways; takes the responsibility of improving students' sense of happiness and the quality of their life and guides them to perceive happiness, and to cope with challenges actively and to promote their mental health literacy.
In October 2019, the Well-being Research and Promotion Center of ECNU was established.
“The main task of ECNU’s psychological health education has shifted from intervening through problem-solving to prevention through happiness promotion.” Said Zhu Hong, “The university’s psychological health education is more committed to improving students’ ability to perceive, experience and pursue happiness.” According to Zhu Hong, psychological health education, supported by positive psychology, has provided happiness education for all ECNU students as a way to drive the shift in the entire educational concept.
Source: Counseling and Psychological Services, Well-being Research and Promotion Center
Author: Wu Xiaolan
Photo by Li Shenghua, Wang Yuhao, Liu Yudi, Wu Xiaolan, Zou Yuying
Copy editor: Joshua Mayfield
Editor: Yuan Yiwei
