Strengthening the scientific backbone of the WPA

As per WPA by-laws, the overarching aims of the Scientific Sections comprise the “collection, analysis, presentation, and dissemination of information concerning services, research, and training in the various fields of psychiatry and mental health and the advancement of scientific knowledge in these fields”. This is a lot, and may be considered quite ambitions by some. But, on the other hand, the Sections have become known as the “scientific backbone” of the WPA and, as such, they are meant to carry a lot of weight and provide a framework for our field, that is so diverse and deals with disorders that present with a combined lifetime prevalence of up to 40 percent. This diversity certainly is one of the reasons why the number of Sections has now grown to 72. Given this importance for WPA, the post of Secretary for Scientific Sections comes with a great deal of responsibility and calls for a continuous thought process on how to further develop the Sections and keep them engaged. These proposals will be tightly coordinated with the plans and work programs of the new Secretaries for Education and Scientific Publications, as well as the newly established Science Committee. Their implementation and integration in WPA's Action plan is currently discussed at the level of the WPA Executive Committee and Board. The Secretary for Scientific Sections welcomes any further suggestions as to the future work and visibility of the Sections, WPA's scientific backbone.