International

With increasing globalisation there have been a number of initiatives which have endeavoured to enhance mobility of scholars and researchers, of academic teachers and of students. A number of initiatives have aimed to develop systems of mutual recognition or equivalence.

There has also been a growing phenomenon of ‘regionalisation’, ranging from formal political regions such as the European Union, through ‘mutual recognition’ regions such as North America, Canada and Mexico, and the development of regional groups such as ARUPS (the ASEAN Regional Union of Psychological Societies), the Pan-African psychology Union which was launched in 2014.

Two major international psychology organisations, the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) and the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPSyS), have supported some of these endeavours. These two organisations also bring psychologists together in biennial congresses, thus facilitating scholarly exchange, networking and greater collaboration.

A recent initiative supported by both IAAP and IUPSyS has been the International Project on Competence in Psychology (IPCP) which led to the International Declaration on Core Competencies in Professional Psychology agreed by both organisations in 2016. This provides a framework of guidance which can inform countries across the world, and moves forward the attempt to define the core competencies of professional psychologists.