The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is a large, state-funded university with more than 26,000 students and over 2,000 academic employees. The university was founded in 1880 and during the last century has continued to expand. It now comprises twelve faculties, which conduct research on a wide range of technical, natural and humanitarian sciences. Associated with VU Amsterdam is the Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC). Its core objectives are to perform patient care in close collaboration with scientific research, academic teaching & post-academic training. Our patient care activities comprise both basic care, as well as top-clinical care as a national and international referral center. In VU Amsterdam’s scientific endeavors, approximately 700 researchers aspire to a nationally and internationally competitive position in their fields of science including amongst others medical philosophy and ethical reflection, patient participation and diversity and implementation of innovative care services. VU Amsterdam and VUmc are involved in several national research centers of excellence and over forty recognized research schools. Visiting evaluation committees have repeatedly recognized the high quality of research in both VU Amsterdam and VUmc. VU Amsterdam and VUmc aim to excel in translational research directed at translating knowledge from laboratory sciences to healthy individuals, patients, populations and society.
The VU Clinical Psychology Section is well-known and respected for its work on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on prevention and treatment of common mental disorders, e-mental health, and meta-analyses on the effectiveness of interventions. It is embedded within the Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute. It also hosts the Global and Cross-cultural Mental Health Research Group (chair: prof.dr. Marit Sijbrandij) which focuses on the prevention and treatment of trauma and adversities in global populations. A formal collaboration with WHO exists in the form of the WHO Collaborating Centre (CC) for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions. The WHO CC which will be responsible for dissemination in the RESPOND project. Academic research and education at VU Amsterdam, including at the Clinical Psychology Section, is characterised by a high level of ambition and encourages free and open communication and ideas.
