New centre behind historic researcher summit
An event of almost historical significance will take place when two of the most important profiles in child psychology, Robert Goodman and Michael Rutter, visit Denmark to discuss children and young people's mental well-being. The event is being organised by the Centre for Healthcare Cooperation at Aarhus University.
For the first time in many years, the two British professors Goodman and Rutter will both take part in the same official event. The conference will take place on 16 March 2016 at the Danish Parliament Christiansborg, where the two professors together with politicians, policy makers, researchers and other professionals, will discuss how we can ensure that the young people of the future are more resilient.
"Our task is to promote cooperation between researchers and society within the area of health and welfare. We need to help bring the latest research-based knowledge into play in society, which is where it really needs to be used and where it can make a difference. This workshop is a good example of how we draw inspiration from leading researchers around the world and put their knowledge on the agenda in Denmark," says Carsten Obel, professor and director of the Centre for Healthcare Cooperation.
The workshop is being jointly organised by the Centre for Healthcare Cooperation, the British Embassy and the Committee for Health Education.
This is a scoop for us
Professor Michael Rutter from Kings College in London is the first ever British professor of child psychiatry and is therefore often described as “the father of child psychology”. Robert Goodman is the man behind the SDQ questionnaire, which is one of the world's most used and best documented instruments for assessing children and young people's mental well-being.
"One of the reasons why we have succeeded in bringing Goodman and Rutter to Denmark and sharing their knowledge is that we in Denmark have special prerequisites for creating new knowledge about children's mental well-being. We are a small country which has – because of the way we are organised and our health data – unique potential to make the world smarter," says Carsten Obel and adds:
"This is a scoop for all of us who work with children's mental health – and perhaps also for the politicians who have to make the big decisions about how we ensure all our young people get the best opportunities to contribute to society."
About the events
- The workshop 'Big data and mental health' with Goodman and Rutter will take place at the seat of the Danish Parliament, Christiansborg, on Wednesday 16 March. You can follow the conference live. Read more about the event in SUSA's calendar.
- You can also see Robert Goodman at Aarhus University on Thursday 17 March when he participates in an SDQ workshop for both researchers and practitioners. Find out more about the event in SUSA's calendar.
Further information
Carsten Obel, PhD, Professor and Director
Aarhus University, Centre for Healthcare Cooperation
Mobile: (+45) 2942 8405