Dr Lam Ching-choi, Executive Council Member of the HKSAR Government and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, delivers a speech titled “The Pursuit of Happiness: Why mental health is everyone's business” at HKMU's “Talk of the Metropolis”.
HKMU Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung notes that the University is a pioneer among higher education institutions in launching a university-wide student mental health enhancement scheme.
HKMU Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung (right) and HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing (left) pose for a group photo with Dr Lam Ching-choi (centre).
Dr Lam Ching-choi takes a selfie with HKMU Mental Health Ambassadors.
Mental Health Ambassadors Pason So Tsz-long and Jodie Mo Yuk-wai share their experience of preparing for the DSE, stress-relief tips, and why it is important to pay attention to mental health.
Dr Lam Ching-choi (centre) poses for a group photo with representatives of the “City Companion” Community Alliance and HKMU members.
Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) hosted its first “Talk of Metropolis” of the year today, featuring Dr the Honourable Lam Ching-choi, GBS, JP, Member of the Executive Council of the HKSAR Government and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health , as the keynote speaker. Under the theme “The Pursuit of Happiness: Why mental health is everyone's business”, Dr Lam encouraged the audience to look after their own well-being, show empathy towards others, and help foster a caring, connecting and trusting campus culture.
Starting in the 2024/25 academic year, all first-year HKMU students are required to complete a 12-hour Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course, accredited by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. As of the end of 2025, over 4,000 students had completed the course; by the end of the 2025/26 academic year, approximately 6,000 students are expected to have finished the training. According to the post-course evaluation surveys, more than half of the participants expressed interest in participating in community service to promote mental well-being and applying their learning to help others help themselves.
HKMU leads with mental health education
HKMU Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung noted in his welcoming remarks, “With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), some young people are now turning to AI chatbots for companionship. The University can and should provide more support in offering human connections and support for students' physical and mental well-being.” Starting in the 2024/25 academic year, HKMU launched a university-wide student mental health enhancement scheme, a pioneering initiative among higher education institutions. The University also established the Mental Health Ambassador Programme, which echoes the Pilot Programme on Training Mental Health Promotion Ambassadors mentioned in the Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address, aiming to build a peer-support network.
Ir Dr Wong expressed confidence that HKMU students who have completed MHFA will bring a caring spirit into their future workplaces upon graduation.
Dr Lam commended HKMU's vision in advancing mental health education. “HKMU is leading the way by introducing the mental health enhancement scheme and making the MHFA course a compulsory requirement — a pioneering initiative that sets an excellent example for other institutions,” he said.
He added that HKMU's initiative aligned with the Government's formulation of the Stepped Care Model for mental health. He expressed hope that mental health education would become more widespread, extending beyond tertiary institutions to secondary and primary schools, as well as workplaces. Comprehensively deepening “prevention and promotion” efforts at the first tier of the Stepped Care Model will facilitate earlier identification of potential issues, thereby strengthening the safety net. He also emphasised the importance of cultivating a help-seeking culture on campus so that students understand the value of reaching out for timely support if they encounter emotional distress.
Before the event concluded, Ir Dr Wong, accompanied by HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, presented a souvenir to Dr Lam as a token of appreciation.
Reinforcing support and enhancing mental health literacy
Over the years, HKMU has been proactive in promoting mental health awareness on campus. This “Talk of Metropolis” is the finale of the annual “Soul-Wellness” Campaign. Through a diverse range of activities, the campaign aims to enhance the emotional awareness and resilience of students and staff. Since 2022, Mental Health Ambassadors have been recruited to assist in organising well-being activities. In the 2024/25 academic year, the initiative was expanded to recruit 30 students annually to organise campus activities and participate in community volunteer services, extending support to a wider range of people. These initiatives have yielded remarkable results, attracting over 4,500 student participants to date.
One of the ambassadors, Pason So Tsz-long, a Year 2 student in the Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Politics and Public Administration programme, expressed his hope that the stigma surrounding mental health could be removed through various activities. Reflecting on his own experience of anxiety because of academic pressure in secondary school, he now actively promotes mental health on campus and in the community. He encourages his peers to prioritise their own emotional health, advising upcoming Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination candidates, “Doing your best in the exam is already something to be proud of. Remember to accept your emotions and take good care of your mind and body.”
Another ambassador, Jodie Mo Yuk-wai, a Year 1 student in the Bachelor of Education with Honours (Chinese Language Teaching) and Bachelor of Language Studies with Honours (Applied Chinese Language Studies) programme, observed that her classmates often experience stress related to academics and interpersonal issues. During the MHFA course, she learnt practical skills for handling emotional crises and now applies her knowledge to support her peers early on. “Thinking back to my own DSE experience, encouragement from others meant a lot,” she said. She encourages students to plan ahead, make back-up choices for their studies and ease the anxiety associated with uncertainty.
Students extend mental health promotion into the community
HKMU has also been active in promoting mental health awareness in the community. In April 2024, the University partnered with the Auxiliary Medical Service, Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, SideBySide, and the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong to establish the “City Companion” Community Alliance on Promoting Mental Health. As of December 2025, over 10,000 participants, including the elderly, secondary and primary school students, and persons in recovery, had taken part in related activities.
Dr Lam Ching-choi, Executive Council Member of the HKSAR Government and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, delivers a speech titled “The Pursuit of Happiness: Why mental health is everyone's business” at HKMU's “Talk of the Metropolis”.
Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) hosted its first “Talk of Metropolis” of the year today, featuring Dr the Honourable Lam Ching-choi, GBS, JP, Member of the Executive Council of the HKSAR Government and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health , as the keynote speaker. Under the theme “The Pursuit of Happiness: Why mental health is everyone's business”, Dr Lam encouraged the audience to look after their own well-being, show empathy towards others, and help foster a caring, connecting and trusting campus culture.
Starting in the 2024/25 academic year, all first-year HKMU students are required to complete a 12-hour Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course, accredited by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. As of the end of 2025, over 4,000 students had completed the course; by the end of the 2025/26 academic year, approximately 6,000 students are expected to have finished the training. According to the post-course evaluation surveys, more than half of the participants expressed interest in participating in community service to promote mental well-being and applying their learning to help others help themselves.
HKMU leads with mental health education
HKMU Council Chairman Ir Dr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung noted in his welcoming remarks, “With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), some young people are now turning to AI chatbots for companionship. The University can and should provide more support in offering human connections and support for students' physical and mental well-being.” Starting in the 2024/25 academic year, HKMU launched a university-wide student mental health enhancement scheme, a pioneering initiative among higher education institutions. The University also established the Mental Health Ambassador Programme, which echoes the Pilot Programme on Training Mental Health Promotion Ambassadors mentioned in the Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address, aiming to build a peer-support network.
Ir Dr Wong expressed confidence that HKMU students who have completed MHFA will bring a caring spirit into their future workplaces upon graduation.
Dr Lam commended HKMU's vision in advancing mental health education. “HKMU is leading the way by introducing the mental health enhancement scheme and making the MHFA course a compulsory requirement — a pioneering initiative that sets an excellent example for other institutions,” he said.
He added that HKMU's initiative aligned with the Government's formulation of the Stepped Care Model for mental health. He expressed hope that mental health education would become more widespread, extending beyond tertiary institutions to secondary and primary schools, as well as workplaces. Comprehensively deepening “prevention and promotion” efforts at the first tier of the Stepped Care Model will facilitate earlier identification of potential issues, thereby strengthening the safety net. He also emphasised the importance of cultivating a help-seeking culture on campus so that students understand the value of reaching out for timely support if they encounter emotional distress.
Before the event concluded, Ir Dr Wong, accompanied by HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, presented a souvenir to Dr Lam as a token of appreciation.
Reinforcing support and enhancing mental health literacy
Over the years, HKMU has been proactive in promoting mental health awareness on campus. This “Talk of Metropolis” is the finale of the annual “Soul-Wellness” Campaign. Through a diverse range of activities, the campaign aims to enhance the emotional awareness and resilience of students and staff. Since 2022, Mental Health Ambassadors have been recruited to assist in organising well-being activities. In the 2024/25 academic year, the initiative was expanded to recruit 30 students annually to organise campus activities and participate in community volunteer services, extending support to a wider range of people. These initiatives have yielded remarkable results, attracting over 4,500 student participants to date.
One of the ambassadors, Pason So Tsz-long, a Year 2 student in the Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Politics and Public Administration programme, expressed his hope that the stigma surrounding mental health could be removed through various activities. Reflecting on his own experience of anxiety because of academic pressure in secondary school, he now actively promotes mental health on campus and in the community. He encourages his peers to prioritise their own emotional health, advising upcoming Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination candidates, “Doing your best in the exam is already something to be proud of. Remember to accept your emotions and take good care of your mind and body.”
Another ambassador, Jodie Mo Yuk-wai, a Year 1 student in the Bachelor of Education with Honours (Chinese Language Teaching) and Bachelor of Language Studies with Honours (Applied Chinese Language Studies) programme, observed that her classmates often experience stress related to academics and interpersonal issues. During the MHFA course, she learnt practical skills for handling emotional crises and now applies her knowledge to support her peers early on. “Thinking back to my own DSE experience, encouragement from others meant a lot,” she said. She encourages students to plan ahead, make back-up choices for their studies and ease the anxiety associated with uncertainty.
Students extend mental health promotion into the community
HKMU has also been active in promoting mental health awareness in the community. In April 2024, the University partnered with the Auxiliary Medical Service, Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, SideBySide, and the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong to establish the “City Companion” Community Alliance on Promoting Mental Health. As of December 2025, over 10,000 participants, including the elderly, secondary and primary school students, and persons in recovery, had taken part in related activities.
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