HKBU’s Department of Social Work and the Social Work Practice and Mental Health Centre held an international conference entitled “The Asia Mental Health Conference 2016, Holistic Practices for Mental Well-being” on 2 and 3 December. The conference proved to be a valuable platform for sharing ideas about mental health services and related issues 

Two renowned overseas scholars delivered keynote speeches. Professor Patrick Corrigan, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, spoke on “Erasing the Stigma of Mental Illness”. Professor Per Carlbring, a leader of the clinical psychology research group at Stockholm University, Sweden, talked on “Use of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Treating People with Mental Health Problems”.

In addition, four distinguished scholars, Professor Petrus Ng, Head of the Department of Social Work of HKBU, Professor Wu Hui-ching of National Taiwan University, Professor Fan Ming-lin of Shanghai University and Professor Wu Jianhui of Shenzhen University, delivered speeches on “Community Mental Health Service in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China”.

The conference was co-organised by three universities, National Taiwan University, Shanghai University and Shenzhen University. More than 500 local and overseas scholars and mental health professionals attended and presented 85 distinguished studies and papers on promoting mental health as well as reducing the stigma of mental illness.