JYU and EdUHK join forces to explore the power of music and physical activity for mental wellbeing
HPE academic staff participate in an in-person seminar and workshop held at JYU in August 2024, from left to right: Dr Anna Wong, first from left, Mr Tom Siu Ka-man, fourth from left, Dr Claudia Wong Ming-yu, fifth from left, Mr Kenneth Ho Yik-kiu, fourth from right, and Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching, third from right.
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä (JYU) and the Education University of Hong Kong have joined forces to explore how music and physical activity can be integrated to improve mental health and wellbeing. This innovative partnership aims to facilitate knowledge exchange between the two institutions. Funded by the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at EdUHK, the collaboration seeks to explore the intersections of physical activity, music, and mental health, as well as to incorporate these findings into educational practices.
One of the events of this partnership was an in-person seminar held at JYU in August 2024, where experts from both institutions came together to share insights on music and sports performance, music and physical education, and the use of motion capture technology. The seminar also included sessions on music therapy practices, providing practical insights into the application of music in therapeutic settings.
The series of seminars, both online and in-person, emphasised the potential of combining music with physical activity to foster improved mental health in various groups, including children and older adults. As the partnership goes on, it is set to produce significant scientific outputs by the end of 2024.
This collaboration will continue with further activities aimed at strengthening the understanding of how physical activity and music can be integrated to support mental health and wellbeing. The insights gained from this partnership are expected to contribute to the development of new educational strategies and therapeutic approaches at both institutions. The project is open for further collaboration and those who are interested in exploring the topic with the team are encouraged to get in touch.
The project is co-led by Dr Anna Wong, Assistant Professor from the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE), EdUHK, and Dr Andrew Danso, a postdoctoral researcher from The Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (CoE MMBB) at the University of Jyväskylä. Both Dr Wong and Dr Danso have facilitated the collaboration, which involves researchers and educators from both institutions.
Dr Anna Wong gives a presentation titled “Integrating physical activity with music to enhance mental health and wellbeing” at the seminar.
Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching, right, and Mr Kenneth Ho Yik-kiu are experimenting with motion capture technology. Researchers at CoE MMBB employ sensors in the motion capture system to monitor the movements of participants dancing to the same music.
“We are excited about strengthening research together within these areas through a series of joint studies and coordinated funding efforts. Also, we are planning future opportunities for both teams to engage in shared conference participation, further solidifying our partnership and impact in the field", comments Dr Andrew Danso, who co-leads the project together with Dr Anna Wong.
The team from the University of Jyväskylä includes Dr Geoff Luck, Dr Joshua S. Bamford, Alicia Lucendo-Noriega, Nandhini Natarajan, and Marianne Taipale amongst others who have expertise in the fields of music, movement synchronisation, and music therapy. Their counterparts at EdUHK include Dr Claudia Wong Ming-yu and Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching from HPE who bring their knowledge in sports coaching, sports psychology, and mindfulness practices for sports performance.
Click here to view the original story and details of the online seminars.
Note: This story is a repost of the original article. Minor edits are made to the original article from JYU’s website.
