Symposium on Positive Education: Fostering Learning, Well-being, and Holistic Development

From June 3rd to 4th, a team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) invited the Department of Educational Psychology (DEP) of East China Normal University (ECNU) to Hong Kong for a jointly organized symposium themed "Positive Education: Fostering Learning, Well-being, and Holistic Development". The event was attended by Professor Jiang Yi, Associate Professor Ma Shufeng, Associate Professor Zhao Xin, Teacher Xiao Yue, and more than ten graduate student representatives from DEP, ECNU. Focused on the integration of learning and well-being, the symposium aimed to raise public awareness of the pivotal role of positive education in students’ holistic development. It attracted numerous researchers, students, and educators dedicated to educational well-being, who engaged in in-depth discussions on building supportive educational environments. Supported by the Shanghai-Hong Kong University Alliance, the symposium served as a platform for academic exchanges and cooperation between the two regions. The event featured a diverse range of sessions, including roundtable discussions by scholars from Shanghai and Hong Kong, graduate student paper presentations, and research outcome exhibitions. This symposium deepened academic collaboration between universities from the two regions in the field of positive education, advanced the theoretical and practical development of integrated research on learning and well-being, and provided strong support for constructing more happiness-oriented educational environments.

Opening Remarks

Professor Ronnel KING from the Faculty of Education, CUHK, delivered the opening remarks, extending a warm welcome to all faculty and students participating in the symposium. He pointed out that positive education, as a key approach to promoting students’ holistic development, requires sustained cross-regional and cross-cultural dialogue and cooperation. Professor KING reviewed the development of positive education locally and globally, emphasizing that "well-being" should not be a supplementary element of education, but one of the core goals of students’ all-round growth. He expressed hope that the event would strengthen exchanges and cooperation between universities in Shanghai and Hong Kong in this field, and jointly promote positive education from concept to empirical research, and from classrooms to real-life practice.

Keynote Presentations

The first day featured 11 keynote presentations covering cutting-edge topics such as self-concept, teachers’ emotion regulation, classroom well-being, and positive psychology in second language education. These presentations showcased multi-perspective reflections on "well-being", "learning", and "teacher-student relationships" across different cultures and backgrounds. Among them, Associate Professor Ma Shufeng and Associate Professor Zhao Xin from DEP delivered two research reports focusing on adolescent cooperative learning and children’s achievement beliefs respectively. The convergence of diverse cutting-edge perspectives demonstrated the in-depth integration of theoretical research and educational practice, highlighting that well-being is not merely a psychological state, but an educational goal that can be cultivated, enhanced, and systematically intervened.

Student Presentations and Interactions

The second day centered on young scholars and students, with three research poster sessions covering topics including emotion regulation, academic stress, well-being construction, and collaborative learning. Student presenters introduced their research designs and data analysis, and engaged in face-to-face exchanges with experts. Many poster projects focused on the operability of classroom interventions, reflecting the research trend of close integration of theory and practice. 

In addition, during the forum dialogue session, young scholars from universities including the Education University of Hong Kong, Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus, and Macau University of Science and Technology held in-depth discussions with on-site faculty and students on topics such as graduate learning strategies, research path selection, and academic career development planning. Experts not only shared their personal growth experiences and insights in academic careers, but also offered practical advice tailored to the current academic ecosystem, including how to maintain research passion in high-pressure environments, balance teaching and research, and expand international perspectives. This exchange provided a valuable platform for "experience inheritance" and "career navigation" for current graduate students and young teachers, helping them clarify their academic paths and boosting their confidence and motivation for long-term commitment to scientific research.

Closing Remarks

At the closing ceremony, Professor Ronnel KING expressed his gratitude to all participants once again. He presented awards for excellent student posters and souvenirs, encouraging young researchers to continue their dedicated exploration in the field of positive education. 

This symposium was not only a high-level academic event, but also a collision and resonance of educational values. It facilitated the establishment of a cross-regional educational cooperation network, the two-way transformation of educational research and practical teaching, and the capacity demonstration and academic growth of young talents. The promotion of positive education is not the mission of a single individual or institution, but a collaborative exploration across disciplines, regions, and roles. Moving forward, DEP, ECNU and the Faculty of Education, CUHK will continue to strengthen cooperation, and strive to build an educational ecosystem that brings well-being to students, teachers, and society.