KAIST Launches Integrated Mental Health Platform 'Mind Care & Growth Center'

KAIST has officially launched the 'Mind Care & Growth Center,' a new initiative designed to consolidate and enhance mental health support systems for its entire university community. The center integrates existing services such as psychological counseling, mental health treatment, and crisis intervention, aiming to provide more systematic and accessible care.

“

The Mind Care & Growth Center integrates psychological counseling, mental health treatment, and crisis intervention functions dispersed across the campus.

The establishment of the Mind Care & Growth Center addresses the previous fragmentation of support services, where students and staff had to navigate multiple points of contact. By unifying these functions, the center offers a more streamlined approach, ensuring that individuals receive cohesive and consistent support. Beyond immediate care, the center aspires to be a hub for digital mental health research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

To commemorate its launch, KAIST hosted an international symposium titled 'Human Behavior and Mental Health' on June 10. The event featured prominent experts discussing the future of mental health support and research. Keynote speaker Adam Gazzaley, founder of UCSF's Neuroscape and developer of the FDA-approved digital therapeutic EndeavorRx, shared insights into cutting-edge digital mental health research, including VR cognitive training and multimodal sensing.

“

The center aims to provide more systematic and consistent support by organically linking counseling, treatment, and crisis intervention services.

The center's research endeavors will involve faculty from diverse fields, including AI, neuroscience, design, humanities, mathematics, and computer science. This multidisciplinary approach is expected to drive innovation in digital mental health solutions. A recent study by Center Director Jeong Du-young and Professor Cho Cheol-hyun explored the impact of generative AI on psychiatric care, highlighting its potential benefits for emotional regulation and accessibility, while also cautioning against risks like over-reliance and the reinforcement of distorted beliefs.

“

In an era where artificial intelligence is replacing high-level human intellectual labor, the greatest concern is not a lack of technology, but the collapse of human mental culture due to AI.

KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung emphasized the importance of mental well-being in the age of AI, stating, "In an era where artificial intelligence is replacing high-level human intellectual labor, the greatest concern is not a lack of technology, but the collapse of human mental culture due to AI." The Mind Care & Growth Center aims to be a leading platform for university mental health solutions in Korea, promoting resilience and well-being within the KAIST community.

“

We will develop the Mind Care & Growth Center into a platform that leads university mental health solutions in Korea.