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Month: March 2022

UMY agricultural lecturer team optimises cassava cultivation in collaboration with 25 cassava farmers

Posted on by umy

As many as 25 cassava farmers who are members of the Muhammadiyah Agro Cooperative received training in optimizing cassava cultivation from a team of lecturers from the Faculty of Agriculture of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). In the training which was held on Saturday (12/3), the cassava farmers were educated about choosing good cassava seeds, grafting cassava, and knowing when to plant and harvest good times.

This assistance and training program aims to increase and optimize the yield of cassava farmers. This activity is also a community service-based research chaired by Ir. Agung Astuti, M.Si along with two lecturers who are members of his team, namely Dr. Ir. Gatot Supangkat, MP, HDI. and Ir. Mulyono, MP. When met by a team of reporters from the UMY Public Relations Division, Agung stated that his team focused on cassava biofertilizer. “In truth, many FP UMY lecturers have researched cassava because FP UMY has a strategy to develop cassava. Some focus on post-harvest, cultivation, and in this case we focus on cassava biofertilizer itself,” said Agung.

Agung also emphasized that most of these farmers do not know proper techniques to optimize crop yields. “Most of these farmers do not have the proper knowledge, and they plant without knowing the techniques and technology. Many complain that the cassava yields shrink after being processed. For example, when they managed to harvest 10 kg of cassava, but when you boil the cassava, that amount decreases. Here, we provide an understanding of technology and innovation so that harvest yields are optimal and can increase,” he explained.

After these farmers were given assistance, they will apply the technology and innovations that have been taught, but remain in the assistance program. “After studying at UMY, they will practice directly on their own land, and we will review them one week after the practice. After the 6-7 month planting period or when it is ready to harvest, we will also review and Insha Allah we will also hold a harvest event,” said Agung.

Not only that, Agung also said that a team from the Faculty of Agriculture would write a book on cassava cultivation. This book will discuss the results of research conducted by FP UMY lecturers who researched cassava. Furthermore, in the future, he will provide assistance to young farmers in the Kalasan area who are engaged in cassava farming.

“In the future, we plan to provide assistance to young farmers in Kalasan. It turns out that in Kalasan there are many young farmers who cultivate cassava. They even have a lot of seeds but the are yet untouched by technology and innovation. As, we will also connect these farmers with the industry,” Agung continued.

Dr. Ir. Gatot Supangkat, MP, HDI. who is a research member and head of the UMY Community Service Institute (LPM), stated in his speech that UMY is open to anyone who wants to share their knowledge. “UMY is open to anyone who wants to share their knowledge, especially to the public. This is a form of our knowledge contribution and dedication to the community so that our research and knowledge can be directly benefited,” said Gatot. (RM)

Chula scientist awarded 2021 young scientist for cutting-edge biosensors

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

“Sensor” is a new technology that facilitates many facets of modern, everyday life. From key cards to automatic doors, to measurement of harmful residuals in the environment, agricultural, and food products, it can also be used for medical purposes like measuring blood and sugar levels.

Developing easy, convenient, fast, and accurate sensors has always been the priority of Dr. Sudkate Chaiyo, an IBGE-CU scientist who is fully dedicated to the research and development of various types of sensors for enhancing people’s quality of life. Such dedication recently earned him the 2021 Young Scientist Award from the Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology under the Patronage of His Majesty the King with outstanding projects: “Food and Agriculture Safety Assessment Sensors” and Thailand’s first “COVID-19 Immunity Detection Sensors”.

The beginning of the Young Scientist – the sensor developer

Dr. Sudkate is a scientist who is interested in analyzing and inventing various innovations, particularly sensor technology because it can integrate various laboratory gauges into one device.

“I am interested in applying my knowledge of analytical chemistry to develop a new sensor platform that will be useful to people and can be used at home. However, there are still limitations in the sensor’s large size, high import price, and complicated use. This means it requires the expertise of sensor operators.”

Biosensors Scientist

Intending to develop a sensor that is more accessible to the general public and brings benefits to a broader audience, Dr. Sudkate has been devoting over 10 years of his effort to the research and development of a new type of sensor at an affordable price using parts produced domestically. The first sensor he developed was a smaller, more affordable device to detect heavy metals in food and the environment, the use of which has been extended to industrial purposes. Subsequently, he developed other sensors to detect antibiotics, residual pesticides, as well as medical sensors.

Sensors to Detect Heavy Metal in Food and the Environment

With the collaboration from professors of the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine, and IBGE-CU, Dr. Sudkate has succeeded in developing a biological and chemical sensor for food safety, as well as checking for chemical residues, antibiotics, and pesticides.

Dr. Sudkate revealed that the self-test sensors for heavy metal, food quality, chemical residues, antibiotics, and pesticides are under the prototyping process. Initially, these self-test sensors were first given to shrimp farms in Suphan-Buri to verify the potential applicability of the developed sensors. Interestingly, the results indicate a satisfactory precision and promising functionality for quantifying antibiotics and heavy metals in food samples compared to the current standard methods. Previous

Medical and COVID-19 Immunity Detection Sensors

During the latest COVID-19 outbreaks, Dr. Sudkate proceeded with developing a sensor to detect immunity to COVID-19. Test results proved consistent with the standard methods and have already been tested in infected patients. It is the world’s first study to use a paper-based electrochemistry sensor to measure COVID-19 antibodies.

In addition, Dr. Sudkate also developed a sensor for the COVID-19 Antigen Test Kit (ATK) that displays a faster result in numbers rather than a color band. Also under development are clinical sensors for glucose and cholesterol levels.

“Most sensors in the market are enzyme biosensors. The disadvantage, however, is that they have a concise shelf life when exposed to heat. My current research is the development of non-enzyme cholesterol and glucose sensors that will ensure longer shelf life.”

The 2021 Young Scientist’s Secret of Success

Dr. Sudkate said that he owes his various achievements to his determination to work hard, and the cooperation of faculty, students, and both public and private agencies.

“Do your best with what’s in front of you. With determination, you can solve problems and overcome obstacles,” Dr. Sudkate opined while revealing his goals of developing commercially viable products for the public.

Organizations interested in the sensors or their development can contact the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Tel. 0-2218-8078, or email [email protected].

CCU promotes exchanges and collaboration in the science of quantum computation and information

Posted on by Chinese Culture University

Center for Quantum Computation and Information was founded in 2020 with the aim to conduct in-depth studies for facilitating teaching and research of quantum computation and information. Based on current achievements made in this field, members of the Center have been exploring ways to harness the potential for quantum enhancement of computation, information processing, and communication. We hope to make the university one of the nation’s largest research institutes for quantum science. In the meantime, we are promoting exchanges and collaboration among research institutes focusing on Quantum Technology to fuel our research energy.

Novel enzyme catalysing the formation of glycosidic bonds in complex sugar moieties characterised

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Sugar chains confer functionality to many organic molecules in glycosides. Enzymes like glycosyltransferases catalyze the synthesis of these chains in various biological systems.

However, the commercial production of carbohydrate chains involving enzymes that are associated with β-1,2-glucan, a polysaccharide, poses technical challenges. Now researchers from Tokyo University of Science and Niigata University have been able to structurally and functionally identify a novel enzyme that catalyzes the easy formation of glycosidic bonds in β-1,2-glucooligosaccharide glycosides.

Carbohydrate chains play physiologically relevant roles. For instance, many biologically important proteins and lipids inside our body have carbohydrate chains attached to them. These “sugar” chains, in fact, even play key roles in altering the functions of organic molecules like aromatic compounds to which they are commonly attached. It is a known fact that these carbohydrate structures can alter the functions of compounds bound to them. The biological synthesis of these chains occurs via biochemical reactions that are catalyzed by enzymes such as glycosyltransferases. However, the commercial production of carbohydrate chains poses several technical challenges.

A group of collaborating researchers from the Tokyo University of Science and Niigata University have now been able to determine the structure and activity of a novel enzyme exhibiting glycosyltransferase activity. The results of this study were made available online on January 19, 2022 and published in Volume 298, Issue 3 of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Dr. Masahiro Nakajima, Associate Professor at Tokyo University of Science and senior author of the study explains, “The structures and functions of enzymes that synthesize and degrade carbohydrate chains have become extensively diversified through molecular evolution. To date, various kinds of enzymes related to carbohydrates have been found and added to the Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes or CAZy database. This database classifies these enzymes, called CAZymes, into families mainly based on their amino acid sequences and is now expanding. However, obtaining carbohydrates is often difficult because of their rarity or inhomogeneity in nature, which limits the exploration of novel enzymes.”

The polysaccharide β-1,2-glucan is a homopolymer comprising β-1,2-linked glucose units. This carbohydrate cannot be easily obtained in commercially viable quantities from natural resources using any of the known experimental techniques. Although β-1,2-glucans are involved in bacterial infection, hypo-osmotic adaptation, and iron storage, their precise mechanism of action remains elusive; largely limited by their non-availability. This non-availability stems from the paucity of research on the enzymes that are associated with β-1,2-glucan metabolism.

The enzyme endo-β-1,2-glucanase is involved in the metabolism of β-1,2-glucan. Using advanced structure determination and biochemical characterization techniques, including mutagenesis and estimation of reactions rates, the research team has identified the biochemical function of a novel β-1,2-glucan-associated enzyme.

Dr. Nakajima muses, “We have discovered an enzyme that performs a novel chemical reaction. Our newly discovered mechanism of action has paved the way for the synthesis of sugar chains that were incredibly difficult to synthesize. Although several glycans are involved in biologically important roles, there are many whose functions cannot be fully understood owing to low reaction yields. We believe that this discovery has expanded the possibilities for the successful development and use of sugar chains.”

The IALB_1185 protein (IaSGT), encoded in the gene cluster that codes for endo-β-1,2-glucanase homologs, is listed as a “glycoside hydrolase” family 35 (GH35) protein. However, contrary to expectations, the team noticed that IaSGT is in fact a “glycosyltransferase” acting on the β-1,2-glucosidic bonds. This was a novel catalytic activity demonstrated by the protein. Whereas glycoside hydrolases catalyze the breakage or hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds, a chemical reaction that involves water, glycosyltransferases do the exact opposite—they catalyze the formation of these bonds. Based on these findings, the team proposes “β-1,2-glucooligosaccharide:D-glucoside β-D-glucosyltransferase” as a systematic name and “β-1,2-glucosyltransferase” as an accepted name for IALB_1185.

Dr. Hiroyuki Nakai, Associate Professor at Niigata University and lead collaborator of the study, comments, “Glycosyltransfer reactions are useful for oligosaccharide synthesis, but glycosyltransferases in glycoside hydrolase families share their reaction mechanisms with glycoside hydrolases. Therefore, we need a complete comprehension of their reaction mechanism to control conversion between transferases and hydrolases freely. Our findings are important biochemical data for understanding the diversity of CAZymes and a fundamental structural basis for further investigation of the profound enigma of the reaction mechanisms of CAZymes.”

The research community surely hopes that the newly discovered and functionally characterized enzyme will accelerate the synthesis of carbohydrate chains that play key roles in various biological processes. Sweet news, indeed!

Reference

Title of original paper: Characterization and structural analyses of a novel glycosyltransferase acting on the β-1,2-glucosidic linkages

Journal: Journal of Biological Chemistry

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101606

UiTM lecturer awarded 2021 Outstanding ASIAN Science Diplomat Award

Posted on by Baljit

A senior lecturer from School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Ir. Ts. Dr Baljit Singh was awarded the 2021 Outstanding ASIAN Science Diplomat Award. The award honours and acknowledges him as one of Asia’s eminent leaders in science and technology. It also recognises Ir. Ts. Dr Baljit Singh’s dedication and passion for his work.

The Asian Science Diplomat (ASD) is an annual flagship program under the ASEAN Secretariat for outstanding science and technology researchers below 45 years with the aim of providing training and capacity building in the areas of Science Communication, Science Diplomacy, Science Evidence-Based Policy, and Science Advise to the awardee.
The Asian Diplomat Award helps integrate science and diplomacy to benefit the region’s strategic capabilities, policy objectives, and the development of solutions for societal challenges. It is also intended to help raise awareness of science diplomacy’s principles and applications among Asia’s academics and diplomats while also pointing out where there are still unmet needs. The awardees are also advised on how to achieve global influence at the intersection of science, technology and diplomacy by the award recipients.

For the Science Diplomats, cooperation in science is a requirement. A foundation for all Asian countries’ cooperation should be based on scientific cooperation that contributes to advancing human knowledge and benefits all people on Earth. Cooperative efforts can be aimed at eradicating diseases, eliminating poverty, developing new non-polluting fuels, and toward space exploration. It is possible that science-based policy can serve as a driving force for Asian countries to work together to maximise their shared resources. Additionally, Asian countries with more advanced scientific capabilities and resources can help other developing Asian countries so that everyone can benefit from scientific advancements.

Another role of Science Diplomats is to build and coordinate relationships between governments of differing political beliefs and ideologies through scientific knowledge. Scientists are widely regarded as the most trustworthy people in any country, and their profession is held in the highest esteem and reverence by the general public. Science diplomats can help navigate obstacles to international scientific cooperation by engaging in cross-border science diplomacy, which could ease negotiations of large scale research facilities and systems.

SMU launches book “Building Excellence in Higher Education: Singapore’s Experience”

Posted on by audreychan

In 2018, Emeritus Professor Arnoud De Meyer, then President of the Singapore Management University (SMU), reflected on the fact that Singapore had built an excellent and diverse system of higher education in less than 30 years in a conversation with the Ministry of Education (MOE)’s Permanent Secretary Lai Chung Han, Minister Ong Ye Kung and some colleagues.

Shortly after, he received an invitation from MOE to document the system of university education in Singapore. He accepted the challenge and went on to collect primary research from more than 30 interviews and conversations with the decision-makers and leaders in higher education in Singapore and in-depth desk research, together with the support of Dr Jovina Ang, who is his co-author of the book, “Building Excellence in Higher Education: Singapore’s Experience”.

The book which proposes five major drivers behind Singapore’s success and provides recommendations for the future in Singapore’s higher education landscape was officially launched on 21 February 2022 at the SMU Li Ka Shing Library. The hybrid event which saw 50 guests at the venue was graced by Minister of Education, Mr Chan Chun Sing. SMU Provost, Professor Timothy Clark gave the Welcome Address, and capping the event with an insightful Q&A session with Prof De Meyer, was moderator Annie Koh, Professor Emeritus of Finance.

In his remarks, Prof De Meyer highlighted the five key drivers. The first driver is that the system was designed to be fit for purpose. The creation of the six autonomous universities is aligned with the socio-economic development of Singapore. The universities are quite different from each other, and they offer full time programmes, programmes where work and study are combined, as well as part-time programmes for students who already work, like at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

The second driver is the very significant investment in R&D, and the shift of research funding towards the universities. These resources combined with a very open environment to attract some of the best researchers in the world helped the universities us to jumpstart and rapidly develop their research capabilities.

A successful model of the autonomous university as a governance model was cited as the third driver. First experimented with in SMU, it was generalised in the mid-2000s to the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and then later adopted at the creation of Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and SUSS. There are many positive consequences of this model, among others that universities have developed in different ways, thus offering diversity to the Singapore students. The boards had a real governance role with strong fiduciary responsibilities, which also stimulated healthy competition.

The fourth driver was Singapore’s willingness to learn from others. All universities, including the oldest one, have had significant and performing partnerships with overseas institutions. SMU with Wharton, SUTD with MIT and Zhejiang University, NUS with Duke, Peabody and Yale, NYU with Imperial College, and SIT with a whole portfolio of institutions.

Lastly, success came from the flexibility in implementation and the continuity in the leadership. Dr Tony Tan, who as Minister for Education, DPM, Chair of the NSF and in many other roles promoted higher learning and research had said, “we had a rough terrain road map. But along the way the map was adjusted and evolved”.

Drawing from a phrase from the book – “fit for purpose”, Minister Chan offered some insights on how universities must be positioned for the future:

1. Governance of the higher education sector and the development of leadership teams must be fit for the times. Our universities’ governance systems and leadership teams must keep up with the complex task of leading and managing large numbers of staff and students, wide-ranging disciplines, and sizeable budgets.

2. Our Institutions of Higher Learning must evolve into Institutes for Continual Learning, to keep pace with the world. This calls for a more agile education and training system – one that allows Singaporeans to have multiple points of re-entry into the education system, to continually acquire and master the skills needed to meet changing needs.

3. The third thrust to prepare students for a fast-evolving workplace, is closing the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) cycle. This means a closed cycle where research informs industry solutions, and where leading industry skills and knowledge also reach the labs and classrooms. The cycle must be compressed, for Singapore to remain at the cutting edge.

Concluding his speech, Minister Chan said, “For Singapore to succeed, Singaporeans must adopt the mindset of learning for the rest of our lives and learning throughout life. Our universities will support this bigger societal shift.”

Prof De Meyer echoed similar sentiments, “We have attained an excellent level of higher education in Singapore. But the world is dynamic, and what is today’s top performance may not be so in the coming years. We need to keep learning from other experiences and overseas institutions. I hope that we can keep the openness that we have had over the last thirty years, that we can keep organising collaboration with other institutions, and that we can keep bringing back successful Singapore academics and bring in top quality foreign scientists to fuel the development of our system of higher education.”

HKAPA’s Junior Music Programme calling for applications

Posted on by Communications Office

The Junior Music Programme at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts is known as one of the most comprehensive programmes of music instruction for talented young people in Hong Kong and has produced many award-winning alumni since the inception of the Academy in 1984.

Its broad-based curriculum includes individual instruction, general musicianship, choral and ensemble activities and performance opportunities, and provides all-round musical training in an atmosphere where artistic gifts and technical skills can flourish.

Deadline for applications: Saturday April 9, 2022

Enquiries: [email protected] (application); [email protected] (programme)

For details: https://www.hkapa.edu/music/junior-music-programme

Fleming College partners with Trebas Institute Ontario to offer programmes in Toronto

Posted on by Global University Systems

Fleming College and Trebas Institute Ontario are proud to announce a new partnership that allows students from all over the world to attend and graduate from a selection of programs at the new Fleming College Toronto Campus.

Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities approved the new partnership under a policy which allows flexible collaboration between private and public colleges, so students can access an extended range of programs and services from both sectors.

Fleming College is an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology with campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton. With more than 80,000 graduates, the college emphasizes practical, hands-on education that prepares graduates for success in the workplace. The new Toronto campus, situated in Midtown near Yonge and Eglinton, gives students access to all the career opportunities that come with living in Canada’s business capital.

Established in 1979, Trebas Institute has campuses in both Montreal and Toronto. Over 3,000 graduates have attended Trebas from over 40 countries, making for a culturally diverse student body. This college is one of the principal subsidiaries of Global University Systems (GUS), an international network of higher education institutions united by a passion for delivering accessible, industry-relevant credentials.

Through the partnership, four Fleming business programs will be delivered at Fleming College Toronto, providing international students with the opportunity to enroll in Fleming’s range of business programs. The initial offerings for the first intake for Fall 2022 are:

Diploma in Business (4 semesters)

Graduate Certificate in Global Business Management (4 semesters)

Graduate Certificate in Project Management (2 semesters)

Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management — Global Logistics (2 semesters)

This agreement ensures that student experience and academic delivery will be aligned with Fleming’s high standards of education. Students will benefit from all the amenities and services that the campus provides, including career counseling.

Mohamed Slimani, VP of operations at Trebas, said: “On behalf of the staff and student body of Trebas, we are all excited about the partnership. The students who graduate from Fleming’s highly regarded programs will bring in-demand skill sets and strong work ethic to Ontario’s labour market.”

Maureen Adamson, President of Fleming College, is delighted that Fleming can broaden the reach of some of the college’s most sought-after programs. “Our initial offerings provide students with knowledge and experience that is practical, in-demand, and workplace-ready. This exciting partnership offers new options for students to study business programs in the GTA or at our Sutherland Campus in Peterborough.”

Cyndi McLeod, CEO of GUS Canada, believes that the students at Fleming College Toronto will see many benefits from the expertise and practicality that Fleming is known for. “We are thrilled to welcome Fleming College Toronto to the GUS Canada ecosystem. GUS Canada and our institutional brands are on a mission to lead the future of education in Canada and the natural synergies between Fleming College and Trebas Institute make this new partnership particularly exciting. Fleming College Toronto will provide an innovated education model and real-world experiences to maximize student success while filling the skills gap in national and international business sector.”

“On behalf of GUS Canada, I am very excited to be partnering with Fleming and all their wonderful faculty and staff,” said McLeod. “Simply put, this partnership opens doors and many opportunities for students.”

For more information https://www.flemingcollegetoronto.ca/

HKBU fights against COVID-19 with Chinese medicine and comprehensive care

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

Given the recent upsurge in cases amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has established a transdisciplinary team of experts and supporting personnel to offer a free and integrated Chinese medicine prevention and treatment service, as well as emotional support resources to COVID patients, their close contacts and carers, with the aim of contributing to Hong Kong’s fight against the pandemic.

While HKBU offers free Chinese medicine prevention and treatment consultations and emotional support resources, a generous donation pledge of HK$10 million from the Tencent Charity Foundation has enabled HKBU’s School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) to provide and deliver free medicine to service users.

Transdisciplinary team offers medical and emotional support

The COVID-19 situation has got significantly worse since the beginning of the year, and Hong Kong’s public health system has been under huge pressure as a large number of patients have sought urgent medical treatment.

In a densely populated environment full of many vulnerable people at high risk of infection (such as those in elderly homes), managing the disease outbreak is particularly challenging. Apart from urgent support for disease prevention and treatment, patients – as well as their carers and close contacts – are facing huge emotional distress.

Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, said: “HKBU is devoted to advancing the frontier of Chinese medicine research, and the efficacy of Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 has been proven clinically. In view of the pandemic’s development and in line with our caring spirit, the University has promptly assembled a Chinese medicine team to participate in the fight against the virus, with the hope of helping patients with urgent needs and alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare system. At the same time, our Department of Social Work is also offering an emotional support and counselling service in elderly homes to take care of the mental health of patients and staff. A number of university departments are also providing administrative support, with the aim of joining hands to tackle the COVID-19 challenge.”

Free consultations and medication

HKBU’s Chinese medicine team launched the “Free Online Consultation Service for COVID-19 Patients” in mid-February. It targets patients under quarantine in the community with no critical symptoms who do not require hospitalisation. Chinese medicine practitioners of HKBU will conduct consultations with patients through WhatsApp video-conferencing, prescribe medicine for them according to their clinical symptoms and body constitutions, and provide a medicine dispensing service. The consultation, medicine and delivery are free of charge.

Due to the overwhelming public demand for the service, the University has swiftly gathered together the resources needed to set up the HKBU Chinese Medicine Telemedicine Centre Against COVID-19 in two weeks’ time as an integrated hub to handle appointments, consultations and drug delivery matters. A designated online platform was also constructed to facilitate public registration for the service. The online consultation service has so far served more than 8,000 patients, close contacts and carers, and it can serve up to 1,000 patients every day. Under the scheme, Chinese medicine practitioners of the HKBU Chinese medicine clinics have offered consultations to the public. HKBU is recruiting its Chinese medicine alumni to join the medical team in response to the keen demand for the service.

Special scheme for elderly homes

Due to the serious nature of the outbreaks in elderly homes, HKBU is cooperating with the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology to launch a special scheme which offers remote consultations and medicine delivery to the residents and staff members of accredited elderly homes. So far 64 elderly homes have decided to join the scheme. HKBU has been providing the same service to 30 elderly homes so far referred by the Hospital Authority. The service has also been offered to staff members of St. James’ Settlement to help them maintain continuous services to around 5,200 home-based elders.

Furthermore, the elders and staff who are suffering from emotional distress due to the disease will be invited to join a mental health support service. The cases concerned will be referred to the Social Work Practice and Mental Health Centre of the Department of Social Work at HKBU. Volunteers who have been trained by the Centre will contact the cases by phone to provide emotional support or counselling. After the first over-the-phone mental health support session, volunteers will assess whether a second or even a third over-the-phone follow up counselling session is necessary. Launched in early March, the service will match the elders and staff in need with volunteers with phones.

Holistic service looks after physical and mental health

Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Associate Vice-President (Chinese Medicine Development) and Director of the Clinical Division of SCM at HKBU, said that the participation of SCM in the treatment of COVID-19 will provide valuable experience and strengthen the role of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong’s healthcare system.

He said: “By combining our clinical treatment observations and the experience of the Chinese medicine sector, and with reference to the Mainland’s COVID-19 treatment protocol, SCM has compiled the “COVID-19 Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocols for Hong Kong”. It covers the Chinese medicine approach to the prevention of COVID-19, as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with mild to moderate cases of the disease. We hope that the compilation of this protocol can standardise HKBU’s clinical treatment for COVID-19, provide an operational reference for the Chinese medicine sector, and contribute to the adoption of Chinese medicine in terms of the prevention and treatment of emerging infectious diseases in the long run.”

Professor Daniel Lai, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Chair Professor of the Department of Social Work at HKBU, pointed out that some people may experience emotional distress in view of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. He said: “Under the gloomy atmosphere of the COVID-19 upsurge, patients worry about their illnesses, and their carers and close contacts also encounter emotional distress due to the pressure of taking care of the patients and the imminent infection risk they face. This situation is common in elderly homes where there are widespread disease outbreaks. We hope to provide emotional counselling to participants of HKBU’s Chinese medicine service who are in need, so that we can offer total care for their physical and mental health.”

Tencent Charity Foundation provides full support

The fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has presented Hong Kong with a huge challenge and overloaded its healthcare system. Many infected patients are waiting for medical treatment, and they feel helpless as they remain stuck in the community. In response to Hong Kong people’s urgent needs, Tencent has donated HK$10 million through the Tencent Charity Foundation to HKBU. The donation will support the HKBU School of Chinese Medicine’s efforts in the fight against the pandemic through the establishment of the “HKBU Chinese Medicine Team Against COVID-19”. The team will be responsible for related prevention and treatment work, and they will offer an online Chinese medicine consultation service to the public with the hope of helping patients and close contacts in need.

Professor Wai said: “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Tencent Charity Foundation for taking the initiative to render support. The fifth wave of the pandemic is very challenging, and the Foundation has taken swift action to support the Chinese medicine team of HKBU with regard to the provision of timely assistance to the community, in particular offering our care to the elderly, while relieving the burden on the public healthcare system.”

The public can visit the following website for the appointment details as well as the consultation and medicine delivery arrangements of the Free Online Consultation Service for COVID-19 Patients:

https://cmc-booking.hkbu.edu.hk/

TMU healthcare system committed to healthy working environment

Posted on by Taipei Medical University

Taipei Medical University (TMU) strives to create an environment that supports the academic and professional staff to develop expertise and enjoy their work. In addition to the staff lounge space for the academics and professionals to socialize and relax, TMU has a strong staff health program consisting of access to gymnasium facilities, free physical fitness courses, and annual health check to help colleagues develop their own exercise routines and improve understanding of health improvement behavior.

TMU also places great emphasis on mental health and fund employee assistance program (EAP) with confidential psychological counseling services.

Issues affecting the individuals’ mental health could include family, self-exploration, interpersonal relationships, work adjustment, stress adjustment, and emotional management. The counseling services help employees increase self-awareness, adjust their mental state, or seek solutions to subsequently initiate changes or adjustments. Based on the different situations, the counseling services also help employees regain interpersonal relationships and a sense of calm, freedom, and fulfillment. Due to the shift to remote work and other forms of working during the pandemic, the potential stress of family and work has increased. TMU continues to provide counseling services to help staff members address and respond to the challenges at work and in life.

On October 1st, 2021, Taipei Medical University Hospital established a holistic care center for employees. Based on the Holistic and Universal Model of Resilience (HUMOR) framework, the center is promoting the importance of employee care.

Resilience, also known as the ability to recover, is a concept applied across medical, psychological, educational, management, engineering, political and many other fields. In addition to personal resilience, it also includes the resilience of the system or the overall organization. According to studies, the resilience of an organization depends on the resilience of the department, and the resilience of the department depends on the resilience of each individual member.

The resilience of the individual must be balanced and taken care of from the perspective of whole-person by finding the best formula that includes dimensions such as physical resilience, psychological resilience, spiritual resilience, and social resilience. The HUMOR framework captures these essentials required for the development of resilience and has been effective guidance in our employee care actions.