Cooperation Agreement between The Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, and the World Health Organization, Geneva

July 2002

Whereas The Royal College of Psychiatrists (hereinafter referred to as “The College”) is a registered charity in the United Kingdom, with the following objectives –

 

  • to advance the science and practice of psychiatry and related subjects;
  • to further public education therein and...
  • to promote study and research work in psychiatry and all sciences and disciplines connected with the understanding and treatment of mental disorders in all its forms and aspects and related subjects and publish the results of all such study and research.

 

Whereas the World Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as “WHO”) is a Specialised Agency of the United Nations, whose objectives include inter alia, providing technical support to the Member States in all matters related to mental health, including capacity building on research and development of national mental health research programmes within the overall public health research agenda.

Whereas The College and WHO wish to cooperate in their respective fields of mutual interest;

 

Now therefore, the parties hereto agree to cooperate on capacity building in research, training and development; and in building national mental health research programmes in low income countries as set forth below:

 

1. The College

 

1.1 will identify research centres of excellence within the U.K. that are suitable for providing training to potential researchers from developing countries on research related to public health in the mental health field.

 

1.2 will develop flexible training programmes to suit the needs of the trainees in consultation with WHO for the duration of 3 to 12 months.

 

1.3 will put in place these training programmes for individual trainees selected by WHO, up to a maximum of 4 per year.

 

1.4 will support research trainees and their financial supporters in arranging subsistence allowance including accommodation to the trainees for the duration of the training. The financial supporters will not be commercial entities.

 

1.5 will provide technical advice to the trainees for a period of 5 years after the completion of their training, during their work in their home countries.

 

1.5 will invoke its standard procedures for withdrawal of sponsorship in cases of poor performance or unacceptable conduct of trainees.

 


2. WHO

 

2.1 will assist The College in developing flexible training programmes to suit the needs of trainees for the duration of 3 to 12 months.

2.2 will identify and select suitable potential researchers from developing countries for training.

2.3 will negotiate with the governments of countries for release of selected trainees for the training on specified terms which will include a binding obligation for the trainees to go back to the home country after their training and the government to provide facilities and funding for research for a period of 5 years after the return.

 

2.4 will provide return airfare to the trainees for their travel to the U.K.

 

2.5 will attempt to arrange subsistence allowance to be paid to the trainees from financial supporters who may be national governments or international donors, but not commercial entities.

 

2.6 will provide technical advice to the trainees for a period of 5 years after the completion of training during their work in their home countries.

 

2.7 will monitor the success of this training programme and suggest changes if necessary.

 

 

3. Liaison

 

The College and WHO will appoint one or more persons to act as focal persons to liaise on the Agreement.

 

4. Financial Liability

 

No financial liability will arise for The College or for the WHO under this Agreement, beyond those covered under Section 1 and 2 above.

 

5. Term

 

This Agreement is concluded for a term of [5] years, unless terminated by either party at any time before the end of the term, subject to three months’ prior written notice and the settlement of any outstanding obligations.

 

6. Dispute Settlement

 

Any dispute relating to the interpretation or application of the Agreement shall, unless amicably settled, be subject to conciliation. In the event of failure of the latter, the dispute shall be settled by arbitration. The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the modalities to be agreed upon by the Parties, or in the absence of agreement with the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules currently in force at the signing of this Agreement. The Parties shall accept the arbitral award as final.

 

In witness whereof, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed in duplicate by their respective authorised officers.

 

Dr Benedetto Saraceno Dr Michael Shooter Professor Hamid Ghodse
Director President Director
Department of Mental Health The Royal College of Psychiatrists Board of International Affairs
And Substance Dependence The Royal College of Psychiatrists
World Health Organisation

© 2009 Royal College of Psychiatrists