International course on leadership and professional skills for early career mental health professionals
The George Institute for Global Health is pleased to announce the International Course on Leadership and Professional Skills for Early Career Mental Health Professionals. Led by Professor Norman Sartorius and Professor Sir Graham Thornicroft, the course will be held in New Delhi, India on 15-17 November 2026.
The Course is aimed at developing leadership and professional skills. It is a great opportunity to learn from two of the world’s most prominent and influential psychiatrists on how to make presentations and posters, read and write scientific articles, prepare project proposals, produce a curriculum vitae, chair a session, and learn other professional skills that young research professionals need for career progression.
The course will be conducted entirely in English; therefore, proficiency in English is essential.
Eligibility criteria
The course is open to early career mental health professionals. Priority will be given to:
a) Individuals in the final two years of specialist psychiatry training*, and psychiatrists within three years of completing specialist training.
b) Psychologists, social workers or others engaged in mental health research having obtained a PhD degree.
(*Note: In India, specialist psychiatry training includes MD Psychiatry and DNB Psychiatry programmes. Equivalent specialist psychiatry training qualifications in other countries are also eligible)
Application process
- To apply, please submit the following documents:
- Curriculum vitae
- Motivational letter
- Signed letter of support from your institution/department or reporting manager confirming their support for your application and willingness to permit travel if your application is selected
- The documents should be submitted via the following form: Link to form.
- Deadline for application: 25 August, 2026.
- Before final selection, applicants may be required to attend a short video call to confirm fluency in English.
- Attendance is limited to 16 participants.
- The final participants will be selected by Professor Norman Sartorius and Professor Sir Graham Thornicroft.
Participation and logistics
Date: 15-17 November 2026 (full day sessions on all three days)
Note: Participants are expected to attend all three days. Sessions will span the full day. Therefore, selected participants are advised to plan their travel and stay accordingly.
Location: The course will be conducted in-person in New Delhi. Venue details will be shared with the selected participants well ahead of the course dates.
Travel and accommodation: Participants are required to arrange and cover the costs related to their travel and accommodation.
Visa: Selected participants are requested to initiate their visa application well in advance. Applicants should apply for a Business Visa to attend the course. While the organizers will provide visa support letters, no additional assistance related to visa processing can be offered.
Participation Fee: No course fees will be charged. Participants will be provided with lunch and light mid-morning and afternoon refreshments, on all three days of the workshop. On the first night of the workshop, a welcome dinner will also be provided by the organisers.
Additional opportunity for participants: The 11th Together Against Stigma Conference (TAS 2026) and the Leadership course will take place consecutively, therefore, the selected participants may choose to register for the TAS 2026. More information about TAS 2026 is available HERE.
We are looking forward to your application and to welcoming you in New Delhi, India!
For any questions regarding the course, please write to researchtraining@georgeinstitute.org
Course leaders
Prof. Norman Sartorius
Professor Norman Sartorius is an internationally renowned psychiatrist and a leading figure in global mental health. He is widely recognized for his contributions to mental health policy, the classification of mental disorders, the development of mental health services, and the reduction of stigma associated with mental illness.
Professor Sartorius served as the first Director of the World Health Organization's Division of Mental Health and subsequently as President of the World Psychiatric Association and the Association of European Psychiatrists. He is also President of the Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes and a member of the Geneva Prize Foundation.
Over a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has held academic appointments at leading universities across Europe, North America, and Asia. Professor Sartorius has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 150 books and published over 600 scientific articles. He has received numerous international honours, including honorary doctorates from several universities, and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association
Prof. Sir Graham Thornicroft
Professor Sir Graham Thornicroft is Professor Emeritus of Community Mental Health at King’s College London and an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. An internationally recognized leader in mental health, his work has focused on reducing stigma and discrimination, strengthening community-based mental health services, and advancing global mental health. He has made significant contributions to the development of mental health policy in England and received a Knighthood in 2017 for services to mental health.
He has played a leading role in global mental health and has chaired guideline development committees for all three editions of the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Intervention Guide, used in over 100 countries, as well as for the WHO Guidelines on Management of Physical Health Conditions in Adults with Severe Mental Disorders and the WHO Guidelines on Mental Health at Work. He co-chaired the 2022 Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health and co-led the writing of the WHO Mosaic Toolkit to End Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health (2024).
He has published more than 730 peer-reviewed articles and authored or edited 34 books. Since 2020 he has been named annually by Clarivate as among the most Highly Cited Researchers in the world.