A collaborative project between the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) and the University of Saint Joseph (Macau) offered 48 Master’s students an opportunity to reflect on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the grieving process within families.
Part of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) framework, this cross-cultural exchange — coordinated by FEP-UCP lecturer Vânia Sousa Lima—highlighted the importance of cultural diversity and dialogue in the future of mental health.
Over the course of a week, students from the Master’s in Psychology – specialising in Clinical Psychology and Health at FEP-UCP, and students from the Master’s in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Saint Joseph, delved into the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Grief within Families.”
The central aim, explains Vânia Sousa Lima, was “to prepare future mental health professionals for the challenges and responsibilities of working with bereaved individuals, couples, and families, taking into account the cultural specificities of the Portuguese, Macanese, and Chinese contexts, as well as the ethical issues inherent in the use of AI in such a sensitive field.”
Technology, culture, and mental health: a global dialogue
Throughout several days, students exchanged scientific articles, worked collaboratively in groups, and prepared for a three-and-a-half-hour synchronous discussion, in which they shared and contrasted perspectives and experiences from the Portuguese and Macanese/Chinese cultural settings.
Among the topics discussed, one key theme was the way suffering is expressed (or silenced) across different cultures.
According to the Macanese and Chinese participants, open expression of individual suffering is less legitimised in their culture, which may make Artificial Intelligence a more viable alternative for supporting grieving individuals — something perceived as markedly different from the Western perspective shared by the students from Católica.
Additionally, the technological gap between Portugal and Macau also struck the University of Saint Joseph students, who noted that in Portugal, technological development and access to high-quality electronic devices at low cost are significantly more limited.
A distinctive experience
This COIL project is part of an ongoing collaboration, now in its fifth year, which in previous editions has addressed themes such as migration and the use of technology in family dynamics.
The 2025 edition was particularly special due to lecturer Vânia Sousa Lima’s direct clinical experience with grief, as well as her involvement in translating and adapting Robert Neimeyer’s book on grief assessment and intervention into Portuguese.
Through initiatives like this, FEP-UCP continues to establish itself as a hub for pedagogical innovation and global engagement, fostering the development of knowledge that supports the ethical and informed practice of Psychology.
