On April 9, 2024, at the Sukosol Hotel, Bangkok, Mr. Permsuk Sajjapiwat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation, spoke at the forum “A University of Happiness towards a Sustainable Health Organization,” which aims to adjust the role of universities to become an important cog in creating people, knowledge, and innovation to meet the national strategy. He emphasized that university personnel need to have a good quality of life and be happy to increase the country’s competitiveness. Therefore, in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University is developing the University Academic Center of Happiness Project and Sustainable Health Promotion to promote health and well-being among personnel and students in all aspects. Surveillance of health behaviors has occurred, driving participation in developing innovations that systematically create health within the organization.
“Currently, 60 universities are participating in the project, with 13 of them upgraded to become model health organizations that promote health and well-being according to the guidelines of well-being organizations. This has resulted in the expansion of the Thai Happiness University database, creating knowledge and innovation for spatial development, and is ready to reduce inequalities in society. In this regard, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation is preparing to implement the Happy University approach towards a sustainable health organization, presented to the Commission for Reform of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation, leading to the determination of policy and strategy for 2020–2027. All universities will continue to create quality manpower and develop knowledge institutions into healthy organizations,” said Mr. Permsuk.
Dr. Phongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, the Thai Health Promotion Fund Manager, stated that the Thai Health Promotion Foundation aims to drive the establishment of healthy organizations (Happy workplaces), especially in universities, which play a crucial role in building human resources to drive national development. According to the strategic goals of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, it is ready to promote health across four dimensions: physical, mental, intellectual, and social. Results from the survey on monitoring health and well-being of the Happy University Network in 2023 by the Institute for Population and Social Research at Mahidol University, among 16,585 students and 10,864 university personnel, revealed that the quality of life, happiness, engagement with educational institutions, and life balance were evaluated at a good level at 64.8%.
However, the survey also found that the mental health dimension was evaluated at a moderate level at 57.4%. “Thai Health Promotion Foundation supports the Ministry of Public Health in adopting the Happy University approach towards a sustainable health organization, established as a policy through three operational guidelines: 1. Expanding the role of development to ‘Create a happy university.’ 2. Developing the skills of people in the university to be ‘smart, efficient, happy, and highly productive.’ 3. Creating knowledge and innovation for the ‘University of Happiness towards a Sustainable Health Organization,’ aiming to expand the results of the University of Happiness from the original 60 to 84 by 2027, promoting good health for personnel and an additional 1.9 million students,” said Dr. Phongthep.
Prof. Dr. Wachira Kochakarn, Vice President of Mahidol University, mentioned that the Institute for Population and Social Research, together with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, has been carrying out a project to develop the university into “The University of Happiness” since 2013. This model focuses on developing people and organizations for the benefit of the community and society at large. Network partners work together to enhance the quality of life, health behavior, work-life balance, social skills, mindset, satisfaction, and organizational commitment to ensure that university personnel and students lead fulfilling lives, have a good quality of life, and operate in a supportive environment where their full potential is utilized, thereby supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/happyuniversity
Activity pictures:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=IPSRMAHIDOLUNIVERSITY&set=a.895364215720989
