Peking University, Apri.6, 2014: The signing ceremony of Psychiatric Research and Training cooperation project between Peking University and the University of Melbourne was held in Peking University on April 1.

A joint collaboration of world-class mental health experts engaged in psychiatry, neurobiology and social psychiatry from both universities will be brought together to study issues on mental health, such as schizophrenia and disaster psychology.

Both sides will also conduct doctoral joint-supervision and support postdoctoral exchange program. The Signing of a memorandum pulled decades of cooperation in the field of mental health between the two sides up to a new high.

This cooperation will enhance the academic status and output of the two universities in the field of mental health research, and improve the training level of doctoral students majoring in mental health both in China and Australia.

After the signing ceremony, Australian experts made the first-round interview of joint-educating Ph.D. candidates recommended by six schools.

On April 2, the two sides held the first joint workshop of Psychiatry Research in six schools. In the keynote speech, Australian experts introduced the main results achieved in the "image of schizophrenia and autism biomarkers", "policies on improving the mental health of older "and "psychosocial psychiatric community".

Lu Lin, a representative of the six schools, introduced the achievements made by the six schools in depression, drug dependence neurobiology, clinical therapies and sleep disorders.

Subsequently, experts from both sides conducted in-depth discussions on "Community health and mental disaster: challenges in management and opportunities in research", "Future of Neuroscience and Psychiatry: transition to clinical practice," and etc.

The exchanges and cooperation has deepened understandings and exchanges between experts from both sides and laid the foundation for joint research in the future, also created opportunities for students from six schools to study in the University of Melbourne.

Background info:

Peking University and the University of Melbourne has enjoyed a decade-long academic exchange and cooperation in the field of psychiatry with the joint efforts of Institute of Mental Health of Peking University, Department of Psychiatry in University of Melbourne, Melbourne contact centers in Asia and Asia-Australia Mental Health Association.

In the past decade, the two sides cooperated closely in promoting the "686" project (local health center granted funding for severe mental disease management and treatment) and received outstanding results all over the country.

The project is one of the world's largest mental health reform projects, which has provided community mental health rehabilitation services for more than 330 million people and promoted the spread of modern community mental health services in the country. This cooperation also triggered the introduction of China's national mental health policy.

The signing of this new agreement is to cope with the growing needs of psychiatric researching and training both in the world and China. The primary goal of the cooperation is to train 50 doctoral students through collaboration in the next decade, and to further extend the cooperation to the field of research, to optimize study achievements and to improve the academic position of both universities in the field of psychiatry.

Written by:  Ma Rongrong

Edited by:  Zhao Xiaowei

Source:  http://pkunews.pku.edu.cn/xxfz/2014-04/04/content_282123.htm