Researchers, medics and healthcare leaders from across the world were among the guests at a prestigious symposium held at Keele University this week. 

The Global Mental Health Symposium held at Keele Hall brought together eminent researchers and academics from countries like Pakistan, the Netherlands, Canada and Sri Lanka, as well as healthcare professionals from closer to home in North Staffordshire, for a two-day event to discuss the latest in mental health research. 

Co-led by Keele’s Professor Saeed Farooq and Dr Zohaib Khan from Pakistan’s Khyber Medical University, the event was sponsored by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and included discussions on improving mental healthcare around the world, the latest research in mental health, and how to translate that research into real-world practice. 

Esteemed leaders from organisations such as the World Health Organisation, Midlands Partnership NHS University Foundation Trust, and the NIHR also gave talks about the impact of this research on mental healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, as well as the future challenges facing mental health researchers around the world. 

Keele’s Professor Saeed Farooq who co-led the symposium, said: “I am privileged to have hosted this conference which has welcomed truly global researchers from prestigious institutes across the world. The participants were greatly impressed by the high-quality research at Keele. We developed collaborations which will further strengthen Keele’s global health research.” 

Professor Christian Mallen, Executive Dean for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Keele, added: “It is a real pleasure hosting this Global Mental Health Symposium which really showcases the amazing work done by Professor Farooq and the team. This research is having a major impact, improving lives of those most in need, and I am delighted that Keele University is leading such critical work.”