September 16-19, 2024. Vienna. The DGPs Congress in Vienna hosted various symposia exploring key topics such as standards in psychological studies, training, and continuing education. Several EFPA experts participated in different symposia, alongside EFPA´s President Christoph Steinebach, who chaired a symposium titled “European Psychology in Times of Crisis: Strategies and Measures”. This session focused on how psychology can address global and European crises through international cooperation and sustainable positive change.
Key presentations included:
- Christoph Steinebach: Global and European Challenges. The Importance of International Networking for Sustainable Positive Change
- Beate Wimmer-Puchinger: Mental Health. The Challenge of the Covid-19 Pandemic – Strategies in Austria
- Karl-Heinz Renner: Responses of Psychology in Europe to the War in Ukraine
The symposium also featured a lively discussion focusing on the critical role of psychology in addressing crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and climate change.
One of the central concerns was the resilience of the psychology profession in responding to these complex global challenges. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were highlighted as essential to the field, emphasizing the need for psychology’s closer integration into crisis response and prevention efforts.
Key issues such as the growing demand for psychological services, the stigma surrounding mental illness, and the promotion of well-being at the community level were also discussed. Networking and international collaboration were underscored as key tools for achieving positive societal changes through psychology.
EFPA’s role in advancing psychology in Europe was emphasized through the continued implementation of the EuroPsy standard and the contributions of a network of around 400,000 psychologists.
For more information on the DGPs conference, visit DGPs Congress 2024.
