2018 China Psychology Industry Expo Kicks Off in Xiamen, Marking a New Chapter in Psychological Service System Development
VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) reported that on September 15, the China Psychological Industry Expo (hereinafter referred to as “Xinbohui”) grandly opened at the Jimei New City Civic Exhibition Hall in Xiamen.
Cardio ExpoGuiding units include the China Association for Science and Technology, the Children’s Research and Development Center of the China National Committee for the Care of the Next Generation, and the China National Institute of Standardization; organized by the Popularization of Psychology Working Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, the Office of the Leading Group for Cultural Reform and Development of Jimei District, Xiamen City, and the Jimei District Association for Science and Technology, Xiamen City, andCo-organized by the School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University.
Opening Ceremony of the 1st Heart Expo
The Heart Expo featured 200 exhibition booths, with participating companies spanning high-tech mental health devices, mental health institutions, educational and training organizations, and internet-based psychology platforms. The event also included exhibits on camp education, health and wellness foods, leisure and relaxation products, and cultural and creative goods, making it the largest and most comprehensive platform for showcasing psychological products and services in China. VCBeat reporters covered the entire event and will continue to share insightful perspectives from industry leaders.
Congratulatory Message by Zhang Kan, a Leading Figure in Chinese Psychology
At the opening ceremony, Zhang Kan, a preeminent figure in Chinese psychology, took the stage to read aloud the congratulatory letter from the Science Popularization Department of the China Association for Science and Technology. Distinguished guests, including Lai Zhaohui, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jimei District Committee of the Communist Party of China and Head of its Publicity Department; Li Zhiyi, CEO of the Chinese Psychological Society; Professor Meng Yingfang, Deputy Dean of the School of Psychology at Fujian Normal University; and Liu Liangyu, Vice President of the China Association of Social Workers, delivered addresses. Additionally, the “Good Mood” Public Welfare Initiative was launched nationwide. At the concurrently held Forum on the Development of the Mental Health Industry, Professor Gesang Zeren and Ms. Xia Qing, ambassadors for the “Good Mood” campaign, presented certificates to more than 30 grassroots science popularization instructors in mental health services and approximately 20 pilot organizations.
Technological innovation and science popularization are the two wings driving innovative development. In this regard, Researcher Gao Wenbin, Director of the Science Popularization Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society and host organization representative, stated that “service is the best form of science popularization.” In recent years, China has made significant progress in psychological science and technology innovations, long surpassing outdated public perceptions and understandings. The primary challenge facing the rapid development of the psychology industry is how to translate scientific and technological advancements into services that meet the needs of the general public.
To integrate technology with science popularization, the Heart Expo launched the "Heartfelt Satisfaction Carnival" series of events. Attendees could experience a wide array of novel psychological products and services on-site, such as EEG biofeedback devices that combine fun with functionality, allowing children to enhance their attention and self-control through gameplay. In addition to these high-tech products, numerous emerging companies also brought diverse and innovative psychological service experiences, including the "Mind Playground" and the "Worry-Relief Magic House."
The Public Experiences the Latest Psychological Devices
Unlike most events in the psychology industry, the Mind Expo has expanded its exhibition scope beyond the traditional public perception of “psychological services,” featuring a variety of entertainment activities such as a food festival and promotions for annual tourism passes. Driven by the carnival-style atmosphere, many traditional mental health counseling and training institutions have also garnered significant public attention.
Psychological services have been implemented in China for several decades, with extensive and significant applications in education, national defense, healthcare, industry, and human resources. In the programmatic document of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the mandate for the psychological sector has been elevated from individual physical and mental health to broader social governance, prompting numerous psychological service institutions to actively explore new directions for development.
At the Mental Health Industry Development Forum, held concurrently with this year’s Heart Expo, experts including Zhang Kan, Gao Wenbin, Gesang Zeren, and Hu Peicheng offered their outlook on the future development of psychological services in China, while founders and executives from numerous successful companies shared valuable insights.
Encouragingly, the cumulative effect of these initiatives has drawn a large number of cross-industry professionals to this Mental Health Expo. These attendees are interested in psychology and plan to leverage psychological science and technology to enhance their businesses and products. Notable examples of such cross-sector integration include Wind Origin Camp Education and Huawei’s Mood Headphones, both highlighted during the forum.
Integrating with other mature industries to achieve a “psychological needs upgrade” for a vast array of existing products and services will open up an entirely new and promising path toward industrialization for the mental health sector.
The inaugural Mental Health Expo was held in Xiamen, not only due to the city’s robust development but also because of its distinctive local psychological service system. Supported by the Fujian Provincial Psychological Society, the Jimei District “Mind Oasis” has now completed its tenth year. Over the past decade, Mind Oasis has provided essential mental health services to residents within its jurisdiction through various initiatives, including radio broadcasts, psychology salons, popular science forums, and community group counseling. This year’s Mental Health Expo also served as a significant showcase of Mind Oasis’s ten-year achievements. Many attendees stated that they were inspired to visit the expo by Mind Oasis’s longstanding efforts to popularize scientific psychological knowledge.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Mind Oasis, the local government of Jimei District in Xiamen has also recognized the numerous benefits that the construction of a social psychological service system brings to the healthy development of the city and society. Therefore, it has provided substantial support to the Mental Health Expo (Xinbohui), expressing its hope to establish the psychological industry as a local specialty in the future, create new momentum for development, and benefit residents in the surrounding areas and across China.