VIRTUAL TOUR
2023
10 OctTan Sri Dr Haji Noor Hisham Abdullah launches UCSI University’s Wellbeing Research Centre
KUALA LUMPUR – UCSI Healthcare Group chairman Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah launched UCSI University’s Wellbeing Research Centre and urged the public to prioritise mental health and wellbeing.
Launching the Centre in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, the former Health director-general said that mental health issues had to be addressed early and no one should suffer in silence.
The Centre, he said, would advance the collective understanding of human wellbeing through research. And by collaborating with schools, organisations and communities, it would detect stress factors early.
“According to World Health Organisation statistics, burnout, depression and anxiety cost the global economy at least US$1 trillion each year,” said Dr Noor Hisham who also serves as an adjunct professor at UCSI.
“Less than 40% of people with mental health issues receive treatment. In Malaysia, that figure stands at around 20% due to social stigma and a lack of awareness of mental health.
“UCSI’s Wellbeing Research Centre addresses this need by driving consequential research that focuses on happiness, mental resilience and emotional intelligence.”
He added that the Centre would impact society through community outreach and participatory research.
Also present was UCSI vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir who said that the Centre had great potential in the areas of research and societal impact.
“While the Centre is ultimately a place to generate new knowledge, it can also be an outlet to serve the community, particularly those in the B40 segment,” she said in her speech.
She added that the Centre could benefit from government research grants after establishing itself as a hub of research excellence within the next three to five years.
Classified in the world’s top 1% by virtue of its top 300 ranking, UCSI stands out as one of Asia’s best private universities in the QS World University Rankings 2024.
