EC & PC Meeting in Belgrade, Serbia

The Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade was the host of the Executive Committee and the Presidential Board of the European Federation of Psychological Associations from May 3rd to 5th.

Representatives of EFPA, i.e., presidents of national associations of psychologists from 27 European countries, were present at the meeting. Tamara Džamonja Ignjatović, President of the Serbian Psychological Society, and Snežana Milutinović, Director of the Center for Applied Psychology, attended the meeting. Our professional organization, the development of psychology in Serbia, as well as the current state of our science and practice were presented to our colleagues from Europe. Our colleagues, Natasha Simic and Pedja Nedimovic from the Department of Psychology, and Nevena Budjevac from the Executive Committee of the Serbian Psychological Society, provided us with great help. In cooperation with the Congress Bureau, information about Serbia and Belgrade was presented because our goal is to apply as a host of the European Congress of Psychologists in 2027.

The topics discussed at this meeting were related to the change of the statute of the European Federation of Psychological Associations, which is a process that has been ongoing for more than a year and is now in the phase of harmonizing the final version. The statute will be voted on at the EFPA Assembly, which will be held after the European Congress of Psychologists in Brighton in July of this year. The meeting also discussed the organization of mental health services in Europe, the legal regulation of psychology and psychotherapy in European countries, and support for the mental health of employees in work organizations.

After the official meetings, Professor Oliver Toškovic presented the Laboratory for Experimental Psychology to the guests from Europe, while Professor Goran Knežević presented the Laboratory for Research of Individual Differences – LIRA.

By Tamara Dzamonja.

Italy participates in EFPA through INPA (Italian Network of Psychologists’ Associations), composed of the National Order of Psychologists, the Italian Association of Psychology (AIP), the Association of Psychologist Union (AUPI) and its Formation agency (Form-AUPI). On the whole, the associated psychologists are more than 125,000.

INPA was founded in 1992, with the aim of developing a common reference framework for the academic and professional training of psychologists according to European qualification standards. To this aim, since 2005 it has promoted the diffusion of the EuroPsy certification.

In 2022 recurred the 30th anniversary of the foundation of AIP and INPA; in 2021 the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the first degree’ courses in psychology (Rome and Padua), now diffused in all the Italian regions. The Italian Parliament has approved a law that makes the master's degree in psychology directly habilitating for the profession, and the Ministry of the University set up a task force with the participation of both professional and university representatives, for the revision and modification of the academic studies in psychology, including professionalizing internship.

Recently, an agreement with the Ministry of Education was formulated for the structural and stable inclusion of the psychologist in the school; meetings with the Ministry of Health have been organised on the psychological profession within the National Health Service, and on psychological assessment for work suitability. A code of conduct against harassment and discrimination in the workplace has been formulated and disseminated.

Following the Covid-19 psychological effects, the "Bonus for psychology" i.e., financial support for psychological therapies, was activated by the Italian government in 2022. Requests for this initiative, which is very much attended by both psychologists and users, have been till now more than 300,000.

Materials on the theme of war and peaceful coexistence, prepared by Scientific Societies in the psychological area and by Emergency Psychology Associations, were disseminated online.

Many congresses, meetings, and training events are organised, online and in presence, by AIP, national and regional Orders, and Form-AUPI.