Global Consortium for the Prevention of Depression

We would like to welcome you to 9th consortium meeting of the Global Consortium for the Prevention of Depression, in Groningen, The Netherlands.

• Scientific Meeting (only for members of the Consortium): June 17 and 18, 2025

• Symposium: June 19, 2025

The Global Consortium for the Prevention of Depression is an international, interdisciplinary body that brings together world-class researchers focusing on depression prevention. Together we cover the fields of psychology, psychiatry, medicine, epidemiology, economics, demographics, health policy, political science, technology, and culture. At our consortium meeting, researchers from various fields present their cutting-edge research, to identify most pressing issues with regard to depression prevention, to widen current knowledge on depression prevention and to inform future strategies to prevent depression globally.

The theme of this year will be: ‘Moving into practice: From research to implementation’. This theme spans several important and timely topics as sustainable implementation strategies for depression prevention, advanced methodologies for measuring real-world effectiveness of depression prevention programs, and innovative preventive interventions for vulnerable groups.

Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may not fully apply when interventions are scaled up due to potential reductions in resources and fidelity, as well as differences in contexts and settings. Additionally, prevention programs effective in high-income countries may not be suitable for lower middle-income countries or specific populations. To address depression prevention, it is likely that a multifaceted approach involving tailored interventions, policy changes, and social system adjustments is necessary. Long-term follow-up and implementation science can help disentangle the impact of interventions and implementation gaps. We welcome all kinds of prevention initiatives with the capacity to reduce the number of cases with depression globally.

Professor Robert Schoevers

Chair of the organizing committee, on behalf of the Consortium

Professor of Psychiatry and Head of University Center Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands

Organizing committee members:

Pim Cuijpers, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands and director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Frederike Jörg, Associate professor at University Center Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands

Kaying Li-Kan, Postdoctoral Researcher at University Center Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands

Ymke van der Wal, Project Lead ‘Mentaal Gezond Groningen’, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands

Advisory committee

Helen Christensen, Scientia Professor of Mental Health, Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales

Host organization:

Wenckebach Instituut for Education and Training, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), The Netherlands