The "Guangdong Provincial Primary and Secondary School Psychological Health Teacher Leading Talent Professional Training Programme" has concluded successfully in Hong Kong. Organised by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education and co-organised by South China Normal University, together with the Graduate School and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK), the seven-day programme brought together core psychological education teachers from Guangdong for an intensive period of academic learning, school-based observation and professional exchange.
The programme focuses on four core objectives: "Integration, Expansion, Synergy, and Transformation". Through a carefully designed curriculum that bridged theoretical development and practical application, participants examined macro-level policy, school-based practice and social support systems, with the aim of translating Hong Kong's experience into actionable approaches in Guangdong.
Professional exchange and thematic learning
Throughout the programme, participants attended a series of thematic lectures and workshops covering school support systems, adolescent mental health, emotional education and counselling practice. In the specialised sessions, numerous Hong Kong education experts and principals shared insights on topics such as systemic leadership, whole-school mental health ecology, emotional education practices, adolescent support, and the integration of school, family and community resources.
These high-quality professional exchanges broadened participants' understanding of mental health education in Hong Kong and offered practical insights for strengthening school-based well-being initiatives upon their return to Guangdong.
Community and institutional visits
The programme also included visits to community organisations and social service settings, further broadening participants' understanding of Hong Kong's mental health support ecosystem. These included a cultural study tour in Central, as well as thematic exchanges with Caritas Dr. & Mrs. Olinto de Sousa Integrated Family Service Centre, Stewards Youth Outlook, and Stewards Take Your Way Clubhouse (Sha Tin).
Through these exchanges, participants explored the roles of family services, early intervention, community-based support and rehabilitation-oriented care in youth mental health. The visits reinforced the importance of the "home-school-community" triad in safeguarding young people's growth and well-being.
School visits and field study
A key feature of the residency was the immersive school-visit component, during which participants visited a number of distinctive primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. Through classroom observation, dialogues with principals and professional discussions, they gained first-hand insight into the diversity and innovation of Hong Kong's educational practice in mental health support, positive education, SEN (Special Educational Needs) provision and whole-person development.
Among the schools visited were:
- HKUGA College, which demonstrated a whole-school positive education approach centred on the "4Rs".
- Catholic Mission School, which showcased a people-centred happy campus built around servant leadership.
- The Hong Kong Sea School, where experiential learning and discipline training were used to foster students' self-confidence, responsibility and resilience.
- Fortress Hill Methodist Secondary School, which shared its SEN support strategies based on life planning.
- Tseung Kwan O Methodist Primary School, which presented its early-stage approach to building a protective network for students' physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
These vivid examples offered participants a wide range of educational perspectives and encouraged them to reflect on how mental health education can be integrated into curriculum design, school culture, student support and cross-professional collaboration.
A shared future for mental health education
The programme enabled participants to gain a systematic understanding of Hong Kong's theories and practices in mental health education while inspiring deeper reflection on innovation in school-based support systems. Participants expressed their intent to bring back what they had learned, seen and felt in Hong Kong, and put their learning into practice to strengthen student support in their own schools in a more targeted, comprehensive and caring way.
The successful conclusion of track programme reflects the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education's strong commitment to developing a professional mental health teaching workforce, as well as the active contribution of South China Normal University and HSUHK in advancing Guangdong-Hong Kong educational collaboration. Looking ahead, both sides will continue to deepen exchanges and mutual learning, and work together to promote high-quality development in mental health education across the Greater Bay Area.