Visit from the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Professor Cheung came to Exeter to meet with the Vice- Chancellor, Sir Steve Smith, as well as Professors Eugene Mullan and Ed Watkins (Directors of CEDAR and Mood Disorders Centre, CLES) to confirm implementation of a new clinical research and training partnership. Professor Cheung was also able to visit the Business School and learn more about our International links with the business community in China and Hong Kong.

Professor Cheung enjoyed a tour of the Sir Henry Wellcome Building for Mood Disorders Research before signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Professor Sir Steve Smith confirming the emerging partnership between the University of Exeter and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.  This partnership aims to provide for the training of a new workforce, the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, to be at the forefront of a new mental health service model within Hong Kong drawing upon the expertise from the CEDAR clinical group based at the College of Life and Environmental Sciences. A research and service evaluation project will investigate the impact of the project, including the effectiveness of the clinical interventions as well as the cultural appropriateness of these approaches for the Hong Kong context. Clinical academic staff from CEDAR will visit Hong Kong in June 2014 to begin the process of delivering an initial training programme to a group of clinical academics from CUHK.  These clinical academics will then come to the UK in September 2014 to finish their training as they prepare for the joint delivery of clinical training to this new workforce in Hong Kong in 2015. Professor Eugene Mullan commented on the partnership, ‘This is a very important collaboration, enabling us not only to undertake an innovative research and training programme but also allow us to deliver a mental health service transformation project which could make a real difference to the lives of many people in Hong Kong.’