On the afternoon of October 23rd, 2025, Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration successfully organized the International Conference “Building Mental Health Capacity at Higher Education Institutes in Southeast Asia” within the framework of the MentalHigh Project, funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union for the period 2023-2026.
The conference was organized in a hybrid format, with the participation of nearly 300 delegates from partner universities in Europe and Southeast Asia, including: Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany – coordinator), Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Jaume I University (Spain), 05 Vietnamese partners (TUEBA, University of Education – VNU, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – VNU-HCM, Vinh University of Technology Education, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry), and 02 Cambodian partners (Royal University of Phnom Penh, National Institute of Education).
In particular, the conference also had the participation of educational managers, experts and doctors in the field of psychology – mental health, along with lecturers, staff and students from many universities across the country, demonstrating the deep interest and commitment of the Vietnamese academic community in improving the capacity of mental health care in higher education.
The conference was organized to create an international academic forum to exchange experiences, share research results and introduce typical mental health support products within the framework of the MentalHigh Project. This is a meaningful activity, contributing to raising awareness, completing support mechanisms and developing mental health capacity for lecturers, staff and students in higher education institutions.
In addition, the conference aims to promote cooperation in research, teaching and implementation of digital technology application initiatives in mental health care, while spreading the message of a happy, humane and sustainable academic environment in the Southeast Asian region.
In his opening speech, Dr. Do Dinh Long – Party Secretary, Chancellor of University Council of Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration emphasized that in the current context of higher education, improving comprehensive mental health capacity for lecturers and students is an urgent requirement, contributing to building a friendly, safe environment for students’ comprehensive intellectual and spiritual development. At the conference, international and domestic speakers presented and shared many important contents:
Prof. Dr. Gunter Groen, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany), gave an overview of the MentalHigh Project and its goals of developing mental health care capacity in higher education.
Dr. Astrid Jörns-Presentati, project co-coordinator, presented the report “Embedding Mental Health in University Policy: The StepChange Framework in Practice”.
Prof. Dr. Azucena García Palacios, Jaume I University (Spain), introduced the MoodCare digital platform to support mental health for students.
MSc. Tran Binh Giang, Vinh University of Technology Education, shared about the development process of the project’s digital platforms in Vietnam.
Prof. Dr. Dang Hoang Minh, University of Education – VNU, presented the Shining Mind application – a tool to develop knowledge and skills about mental health through mobile technology.
Dr. Nguyen Vien Thong , University of Social Sciences and Humanities – VNU-HCM, shared practical experience in mental health care for students in Vietnam.
In addition to the thematic reports, the conference also organized a Poster area and experiencing online platforms of MoodCare – Shining Mind, attracting the attention and interaction of the delegates.
The conference created a practical international academic forum for educational administrators, experts, lecturers and students to exchange experiences and discuss effective mental health digital intervention in higher education. The ideas and recommendations shared at the event will contribute significantly to integrating mental health into university policies, strategies and governance, while promoting international cooperation in research and training among educational institutions in the region.
At the end of the program, delegates took souvenir photos, affirming their commitment to accompany and spread the values of the MentalHigh Project – for a happy, humane and sustainable study environment.
Reported by: Nguyen Thi Anh Dao – Project Member