📝 Summary
A positive education session was held for 22 educators from Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies (SWUT) in China, introducing them to the concept of Positive Education and the PERMA framework. The session aimed to foster well-being in higher education and encouraged educators to create learning environments that support both students’ and educators’ personal and professional growth. The event was part of a collaborative initiative between SWUT and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to strengthen academic collaboration and promote professional development.
JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 5 – As part of the Second Educational Training Programme jointly organised by the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies (SWUT), China, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Rustam Mohd Rameli from FEST delivered an engaging session entitled Positive Education: Building Happy Learners and Flourishing Educators to 22 participants, the majority of whom were academic staff from SWUT.
The educational training programme represents the second collaborative initiative between FEST and SWUT, following the successful implementation of the inaugural programme in August 2024. It reflects the continued commitment of both institutions to strengthening academic collaboration, promoting professional development and fulfilling the objectives of the Letter of Collaboration (LoC) signed on 24 September 2025.
The session introduced participants to the concept of Positive Education, an educational approach that integrates academic excellence with psychological well-being. Rather than focusing solely on academic performance, Positive Education encourages educators to create learning environments in which both students and educators can flourish personally and professionally.
The programme was structured into four interactive segments. The first explored the concept of well-being and emphasised its importance in supporting effective teaching, meaningful learning and personal development.
The second introduced the principles of Positive Education and demonstrated how positive psychology can be embedded into educational practice. Participants were subsequently introduced to the PERMA Model, developed by Prof. Martin Seligman, as a practical framework for enhancing well-being through Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.
The highlight of the session was the final segment, during which participants worked collaboratively in small groups to analyse authentic educational case studies. Drawing upon the PERMA framework, they discussed practical strategies for addressing real-life educational challenges and explored ways to promote both student success and educator well-being within their own teaching and institutional contexts.
Participants demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm and engagement throughout the workshop, particularly during the collaborative case study discussions. The interactive learning activities fostered meaningful dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving among participants from diverse academic backgrounds.
One participant shared that the session fundamentally transformed their understanding of well-being. Before attending the workshop, they had viewed well-being simply as “being happy.” However, the session enabled them to recognise that well-being is a multidimensional concept encompassing positive emotions, meaningful relationships, engagement, purpose, accomplishment, resilience and the ability to thrive despite challenges. The participant also valued the practical strategies introduced during the workshop, particularly the application of the PERMA framework to enhance the well-being of both students and educators in everyday educational practice.
The overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants highlighted the relevance and timeliness of the topic within today’s higher education landscape, where educators are increasingly expected to support not only students’ academic achievement but also their psychological and emotional well-being. Participants acknowledged that the practical examples and case-based learning activities successfully bridged theory and practice, making the concepts more accessible and readily applicable within their respective institutions.
The session concluded with an engaging exchange of ideas between the speaker and participants, reinforcing the shared commitment of FEST, UTM, and SWUT to advancing educational excellence through international collaboration and innovation. Beyond strengthening academic knowledge, the programme further deepened the partnership between the two institutions and reaffirmed their collective aspiration to develop flourishing educators capable of nurturing resilient, engaged and successful learners in the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education.
