The world’s psychologists are looking to APA’s example. That’s the realization that struck me as I accompanied APA President Rosie Phillips Davis, PhD, to the 16th European Congress of Psychology in Moscow earlier this month.
Psychologists from more than 80 countries attended. As I spoke with colleagues from Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, it was clear that the international community is interested in what APA is doing in many areas, from our development of standards for the field to the work of our diverse network of divisions to our ability to advocate on behalf of psychology and psychologists.
It was also unmistakable that many of their top concerns mirror our own. Like us, our international colleagues seek to enlighten people about the breadth of psychology and how it can be used to improve lives. They, too, are looking for better ways to tackle major societal issues, such as climate change, violence, substance use, poverty and so much more.
As our members and leadership pursue a new strategic direction for the association, it is important to keep in mind one of the operating principles of the strategic plan adopted by our Council of Representatives: embrace a global perspective. During the plan’s development, many of our members told us that it is important for APA to “advance psychology globally through international engagement, association efforts and meaningful collaborations.”
That’s why it’s critical for APA to continue to build our connections with the world’s psychologists. Such collaborations can showcase how psychology is central to addressing society’s toughest problems and help advance the public’s understanding of psychology—goals that are crucial for all the world’s psychologists as well as key priorities of APA’s new strategic plan.
APA’s Office of International Affairs has a long history of working with national psychology associations and developing opportunities for exchange through our memorandum of understanding program. As we’ve seen over the years, when we work with our international colleagues, we think more broadly about how our science translates across the world. By fostering alliances and working together in new ways, we can learn from psychologists in other countries who may already be successfully addressing some of the issues we face.
The good news is that our international colleagues are eager to work with us. In just one example, this November APA is co-hosting an international summit in Lisbon with our Portuguese colleagues, where psychologist leaders from around the globe will discuss how we can work together to advance psychology’s contributions related to climate change and other critical global issues, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our objective is two-fold: to bring forth the best science and knowledge from the breadth of our field and to show the world how psychology can uniquely and meaningfully help to address major societal challenges. How we approach this work, view ourselves as an organization and partner with our international colleagues are all being considered in light of APA’s strategic plan.
We often hear the saying, “Think globally, act locally.” But we need to act globally, too. Let’s work together to determine what APA can do on the world stage to ensure that psychology has the greatest possible impact on improving lives.
Note: The information in this post provides a snapshot, as of the publication date, of some of the most recent work underway on APA’s strategic plan. This post is not meant to be a comprehensive account of this work, but rather to provide insight into some of the top-level themes that are emerging during conversations with members, including governance leaders. Your input is always welcome at strategicplan@apa.org.