Overview: Global Initiatives in Psychiatry at UMass

The UMass Department of Psychiatry is committed to increasing international collaborations around the globe, with a goal of learning from others, providing expertise, and sharing the newest educational tools and programs, research, and clinical care techniques.

To meet that goal, the department’s faculty members have traveled to more than 50 countries on six continents.

The department has activities and partnerships in Albania, Australia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, England, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.

And the department for several years has been hosting distinguished visitors from other countries – enabling the cross-cultural exchange of methods, ideas and knowledge.

To help spur the development of a global community focused on psychiatric research, services and education, the department:

• Started a Visiting Scholars Program through which faculty members have collaborated with scholars from China, Finland, Puerto Rico and Spain. Faculty hosts work closely with the UMass Chan Medical School’s Global Health Office and the offices of Human Resources and Immigration Services.
• Formed a Global Psychiatry Academic Research Group that brings faculty members together to share ideas and learn from each other and a Global Health Academic Research Group that helps faculty members start new research initiatives and explore potential funding sources.
• Launched resident exchange projects that serve as a referral system for consultations.