On the afternoon of April 24, 2025, Professor Brian J. Hall, Professor of Global Public Health at NYU Shanghai and Director of the Center for Global Health Equity (CGHE), visited the Shanghai Mental Health Center (SMHC). The event, hosted by Dr. Qing Zhang, Director of the Brain Health Institute Office, began with a welcome address by Deputy Secretary Chunbo Li, who presented Prof. Hall with a certificate of appointment as a Visiting Professor in recognition of his outstanding contributions to global public health innovation. Following the ceremony, the two parties engaged in in-depth discussions on the implementation and application of digital mental health interventions in the Asia-Pacific region. The exchange brought together leaders from both institutions, including department heads, clinical experts, key researchers, and graduate students, to explore future collaboration opportunities.
In his keynote speech titled “The Landscape of Digital Mental Health Interventions in Asia-Pacific: Lessons from China’s WHO ‘Step-by-Step’ Initiative,” Prof. Hall highlighted the groundbreaking work led by his team at CGHE. He emphasized that culturally adaptive modifications have successfully transformed the World Health Organization (WHO)’s standardized digital intervention program, Step-by-Step, into “Yibubu” (Step-by-Step China)—a tailored mental health support tool for Chinese youth. Prof. Hall clarified that digital interventions are not intended to replace traditional therapies but rather to expand accessible, evidence-based care. Rigorous randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the platform’s efficacy, and its localized adaptation has been recognized by WHO as a model for global scalability, now being promoted across UN member states.
During the roundtable discussion, Dr. Jun Chen, Director of SMHC, identified multiple synergies between the two institutions, citing ongoing international collaborations and proposing deeper partnerships in digital therapeutics and clinical translation. Dr. Qing Zhang suggested further development of multimodal databases and health economic evaluations to assess the cost-effectiveness of digital interventions. Deputy Secretary Chunbo Li underscored the importance of long-term collaboration in talent development, technology transfer, and policy research, envisioning this meeting as the foundation for a sustained partnership.
This appointment not only honors Prof. Hall’s scholarly achievements but also reaffirms CGHE’s leadership in advancing global health equity. Moving forward, the Center will continue to drive innovation and cross-border collaboration, upholding its vision of “a world where all populations can live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives”.