4th Happiness DNA Public Workshop

"The 4th Happiness DNA" public workshop was held on 19 and 20 March 2015 which coincides with the International Day of Happiness. The workshop was facilitated by Chief Happiness Coach, Mr Johnson Ong Chee Bin.

The 2-day workshop is based on the principles of positive psychology, and physical, mental and emotional therapies and techniques. It is taught in a unique change methodology where participants go through a process of creating self-awareness, finding one’s life purpose, making changes, acting upon them, reflecting the lessons learned, and taking conscious effort to progress in fulfilling one’s life purpose.

After completing the workshop, participants will be able to understand the science and facts of happiness, cultivate the happiness DNA and apply the concept to cultivate and sustain happiness.

Below are what some participants said about the workshop.

"Interesting course with a lot of videos, activities, examples to show and explain."

"Learning about the internal and external happiness. How happiness benefit people and oneself."

The S.E.X. Way to Better Health and Happiness

In a study of nearly 3,000 healthy British adults, led by Dr. Andrew Steptoe of University College London, found that those who reported upbeat moods had lower levels of cortisol - a "stress" hormone that, when chronically elevated, may contribute to high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and dampened immune function, among other problems.

In another study on the lives and deaths of nuns, researchers found that positive emotion (i.e. happiness) is correlated with longevity.

To achieve better health and happiness, we need to do four things well regularly and continuously. These are Sleep well, Eat well , eXercise well and sex.

Sleep Well

The Duke-NUS researchers found that those who slept less showed evidence of brain ageing. According to a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2002, people who sleep between 6.5 and 7.4 hours had lower mortality rates. Other work carried out elsewhere has suggested that 7 hours of sleep a day for adults is associated with the best cognitive test scores in more than 150,000 adults.

Eat Well

The Healthy Eating Plate, created by nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health and editors at Harvard Health Publications, provides simple guidelines on best eating choices.

Besides eating well, consumption of “happy foods” such as spinach, turkey and bananas can stimulate production of mood elevating hormones like serotonin, endorphins, dopamine and other neurotransmitters which are linked to physical happiness. 

Eating “comfort foods” can also make us happy at a psychological level as the foods remind us of our happy past. For example, eating a specific food that a loved one favoured can produce happy thoughts by triggering fond memories or associations of that person. 

eXercise Well

When we exercise, our brain is at work and releases endorphins, a chemical that makes us feel happy. Regular exercises such as 30 minutes brisk walking can keep our body healthy and happy.

Sex

Research shows that positive sexual experience and satisfaction increases the sense of well-being and personal satisfaction. Endorphins, the chemical that induces a feeling of happiness and well-being during physical exercise is also released when having sex. 

The next time if you are feeling down or stressed, do any of the activities in the S.E.X. way to lift your happiness level and enjoy better health.

ASEAN-QA TrainIQA Workshop I - Designing Effective Quality Management Systems

The ASEAN-QA Phase 2 is a follow-up to the ASEAN-QA Phase 1 project. The project partners are DAAD, HRK, ENQA, Universitat Potsdam, AQAN, AUN, and SEAMEO-RIHED. It aims to build capacity in quality assurance in higher educations among the QA professionals in ASEAN universities including East Timor. The ASEAN-QA phase 2 consists of five TrainIQA workshops covering: 

• Designing Effective Quality Management Systems in Higher Education Institutions
• Tools and Procedures in Quality Assurance
• Quality Assurance in Teaching and Learning
• Information Management
• Quality Management and its Linkages to Higher Education Management

The 1st TrainIQA workshop on "Designing Effective Quality Management Systems" was hosted by AQAN, from 23 to 27 February 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The workshop was attended by 32 participants from Build Bright University, Phnom Penh International University, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Brawijaya University, Syiah Kuala University, Politeknik Negeri Bandung, Diponegoro University, Universitas Padjadjaran, Champasak University, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, International Islamic University, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (Melaka), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Myanmar Maritime University, Technological University (Thanlyin), University of the Philippines, De La Salle University (Dasmarinas), De La Salle University, Mahidol University, Chulalongkorn University, Dili Institute of Technology, National University of East Timor, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City, Hue University, University of Economics - Ho Chi Minh City, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Can Tho University and Vietnam National University of Agriculture.

The learning outcomes of TrainIQA Workshop I are:

• Evaluate and apply theoretical concepts of quality, quality assurance and enhancement on the basis of their own experience and in the context of their institution
• Describe current developments in international educational trends and analyse them against the background of their own HEI
• Describe different motivations for HEIs to engage in quality assurance
• Differentiate between external and internal quality assurance
• Design a structure in setting up an internal quality assurance unit in line with its own institutional framework, culture and tradition
• Describe their roles in quality assurance and their corresponding duties and responsibilities
• Describe and apply the PDCA cycle for QA
• Formulate and implement a Project Action Plan which focuses on their institution

Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA Expert (Singapore) is a permanent trainer for the ASEAN-QA Phase 2. In TrainIQA Workshop I, he facilitated the session on "Change Management in Higher Education Institutions".

Welcome Addresses

Change Management Challenge in the Dark