McGill University’s Bicentennial Regional Campaign Project in Asia
A cutting-edge McGill Education initiative that aims to improve student mental health resilience using an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach, the Education for Mental Health Resilience project is poised to make a global impact.
Dean’s Message
Today’s students live with unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, and navigating through these difficult stressores is not always instinctive. Moreover, universities worldwide are struggling to meet the needs of these students who need help transitioning to university life and to combat their feelings of being isolated, alienated, or lost.
Faced with an urgent need to address the mounting number of societal stressors, McGill's Faculty of Education experts have developed the Education for Mental Health Resilience (EMHR) project; a monumental program that has the potential to be scaled internationally and implemented in both formal and informal educational settings.
Led by our experts in educational and counselling psychology, McGill’s Faculty of Education is making strides in building mental health resilience through inclusive education with the objective of empowering individuals to develop stress-management coping skills and responsible self-care. Our goal is twofold: To provide youth with evidence-based strategies for improved mental health so that they can thrive in difficult or demanding circumstances; and to provide wellness training to educators, advisors, and others who work with student populations.
The EMHR is an ongoing, five-year, $2 million (CAD) project to be executed concurrently at McGill University in Montreal and across Asia. This project will be jointly managed by McGill University’s Faculty of Education, the McGill University Asia Office, and the McGill International Institute of Education as well as its official representative office in Asia. Together, we have launched the McGill Mental Health Awareness Week in Asia to launch the EMHR.
Improving Mental Health Resilience
through Education
As Dean of McGill Education, I have established building mental health and wellness through education as a top-tier campaign priority for McGill’s Third Century. I invite you to read more about our EMHR project, view our sample materials, and consider joining our efforts as a partner or patron.
Sincerely,
Professor Dilson Rassier
Dean, Faculty of Education, McGill University
The EMHR Approach
The EMHR approach is to rely on evidence or research-based insights to develop quality educational materials for our target audiences, using internationally-recognized best practices. All of our materials and webinars will be in English. Subtitles and transcripts in Asian languages will be provided whenever possible.
Deliverables include:
For Students
- Online program with interactive materials
- Pre-recorded webinars
- Addressing topics such as:
- Day-to-Day Stress Management
- Managing Test Anxiety
- Decreasing Self-Criticism to Increase Performance
- Techniques in Time Management
- Coping with Stress from Parental Expectations
- When to Seek Help
For High School & University
Educators & Practitioners
- Accompanying guide to the student online program
- Guide to managing students stress and wellness in the classroom
- Consultation guide for institutional response to student mental health, mental health stigma, and supportive communications
- Specialized professional best practice webinars addressing topics such as:
- Self-Injury
- Suicide
- Anxiety
- Depression
EMHR Sample Materials
EMHR Introductory Video
Interactive Handouts & Infographics:
The following are sample materials that will be shared through the EMHR online resource library.
Enhancing Student
Resilience
Managing Expectations & Coping
with Academic Challenges
Project Leadership
Dr. Dilson Rassier
Dean, Faculty of Education, McGill University
Dr. Dilson Rassier started his first term as Dean of McGill's Faculty of Education in 2013 and is now into his second term. Prior to this leadership post, he served as the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, from 2010 to 2013. A Professor within the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Dr. Rassier is the Director of the Muscle Biophysics and Physiology Laboratory, and a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Muscle Biophysics.
As a strong advocate for science, education and human development Dr. Rassier represented McGill Education at the United Nations’ headquarters in New York in January 2019 as part of the UN’s inaugural International Day of Education, enlightening delegates that knowledge is the key to a better world.
Dr. Rassier has forged several partnerships and initiatives to bring together different areas of society, including academia, foundations and the private sector to improve education at all levels and communities.
Dr. Nancy Heath
Director, EMHR Project
McGill's Faculty of Education’s Associate Dean of Research and Innovation, Dr. Nancy Heath is a James McGill Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology.
Dr. Heath’s research program explores resilience and adaptive functioning in young people at-risk (i.e., children, adolescents, and young adults).
She is a founding member and past President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS), and the recipient of the Canadian Committee of Graduate Students in Education’s 2011 Mentorship Award in recognition of her outstanding support for graduate students in education. She has published and presented extensively on topics related to mental health and resilience in educational settings, is an internationally recognized leader in the area of self-injury in educational settings, and has worked in collaboration with schools for more than 25 years. Dr. Heath has received over 4.9 million dollars in research grants from provincial and federal agencies.
Global Partnerships
McGill's Faculty of Education is looking to expand its roster of EMHR community partners, seeking out universities, colleges, secondary schools, youth mental health organizations, government agencies, and other institutions that share our goals for improved societal mental health resilience. Our ultimate goal in this project with these partners is to establish a consortium in Asia for further academic research, researchers’ exchanges, as well as mutual transfers of ideas and knowledge on mental health subjects.
As a partner, you would gain access to all program materials, including new tools as they are developed and disseminated. In-person workshops will be planned for the Asia audience and McGill-branded workshop completion certificates will be awarded to participants.
McGill University is a non-profit public university. The EMHR is made possible through the generosity of our financial supporters and thus we are pleased to provide this program to our institutional partners at no cost or obligations.
Please Donate to Support Our Campaign
McGill’s Faculty of Education is committed to enhancing mental health resilience at McGill and beyond. The Faculty is seeking philanthropic support to help bridge the gap between research and practice by integrating resilience-building skills for students around the world.
On behalf of the academic leaders, research champions, inspiring faculty, and dedicated students of McGill, we are inviting new supporters to join the Education for Mental Health Resilience project. Your gift will have a profound impact on the successful cultivation of campus cultures and student success. Contact us to learn more about how to donate to this Campaign. Your donations are tax-deductible in Canada, Hong Kong, and the US.
EMHR Campaign Patrons
We are grateful to the following McGill alumni in Asia for their endorsement of this project and for recognizing the importance of mental resilience to our modern world.
Campaign Chief Patron
Dr. Clifford L.K. Pang
Founder, Chairman of the Board,
President & CEO, Clifford Group.
Chairman of the Board of Directors,
President & CEO, Clifford Hospital.
Professor, the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
Campaign Patrons
(in alphabetical order, as of October 1, 2020)
-
Prof. Milton Leong
Owner and Medical Director, The IVF Clinic Hong Kong
Adjunct Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology, McGill University -
Mr. Alex Banh
Partner, IPV Capital
Chair, McGill University Advisory Group for Asia & Chair of the Bicentennial Campaign in Asia -
Prof. Albert Chan
Founder and Director, Institute for Family and Psychology Hong Kong
-
Prof. Andrew Law
Professor of Psychiatry and Head, Department of Psychiatry
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland & University College Dublin (Malaysia Campus) -
Dr. Angela Poon
Lecturer, School of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic Institute
-
Dr. Anthony Ng
Retried Urologist,
Director of WYNG Foundation of Hong Kong -
Prof. Cheryl Chui
Social Work and Social Administration Professor
The University of Hong Kong -
Dr. Chuo Ren Leong
Senior Consultant, Vascular Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore
-
Dr. Daphne Yee
Associate Dean, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Clinical Lead (Medical), National University Health System, Singapore -
Dr. Ernest Li
Private Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Hong Kong
President, The McGill Society of Hong Kong -
Dr. Hui Wang
Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education and Counselling,
The Education University of Hong Kong -
Dr. Sara Houshmand
Clinical Psychologist, Central Health Medical Practice Hong Kong
-
Dr. Sook Ning Chua
Director, Relate Mental Health Malaysia
Lecturer, Department of Psychology and Child & Human Development, National Institute of Education Singapore -
Dr. Timothy Foggin
VP & Medical Director (Asia Pacific), Teladoc Health International & Advance Medical
Contact Us
For Global Partnership Inquiries: |
For Donation Inquiries: |
|
Caroline Sia |
Alvin Chung |
