WHO/Europe is launching the first-ever Course on Policy and Leadership in Mental Health, to be held across summer and autumn 2025. Developed under the 4-year European Union (EU)-funded project “Addressing Mental Health Challenges in the European Union Countries, Iceland, and Norway”, the course will support leaders to strengthen mental health systems and drive evidence-informed reform across Member States.
Why this course now
Mental health systems are complex, involving multiple sectors – health care, social services, housing and employment, just to name few – each with its own structures, funding and priorities. Effective mental health leadership is essential to navigate this complexity and drive coordinated, evidence-informed transformation of mental health systems and services.
Yet leadership, management and policy skills are often overlooked in the training of mental health professionals. This leaves many decision-makers without the tools needed to lead systemic change or respond to growing mental health needs across Europe.
This course aims to address that gap, to equip leaders with the skills, knowledge and networks necessary to strengthen mental health systems – promoting reforms that are strategic, sustainable and grounded in human rights.
Course objectives
The course is designed to:
- strengthen the capacity of mental health leaders to shape effective and sustainable mental health policies;
- equip participants with the skills to analyse system gaps and lead strategic reforms;
- promote rights-based, evidence-informed approaches to mental health;
- foster collaboration and knowledge exchange across EU countries, Iceland and Norway.
The course will address critical themes through a mix of expert-led presentations, practical workshops, peer learning and individual project work. Key areas of focus include:
- Understanding mental health and mental health systems: exploring how mental health systems function, analyse data on prevalence and needs, and identify effective models for addressing population mental health;
- Implementation considerations and policy strategies: examining key challenges in mental health service delivery, including the transition to community-based care, workforce competencies, legal frameworks, human rights and the role of funding models.
- Leading change in mental health policy: building leadership skills for driving policy reform, applying evidence-based strategies and ensuring meaningful participation of people with lived experience in shaping mental health systems.
The course combines online and in-person learning and is set to launch online on 20 June 2025. This will be followed by an in-person session in early October 2025 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, organized in collaboration with the Trimbos Institute – the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Services and Interventions Over the Life Course.
The programme includes a structured individual project and peer exchange activities led by the Global Leadership Exchange. These components are essential for building a community of practice and reinforcing the skills gained throughout the course.
Tailored for professionals involved in designing, implementing or advising on mental health policy and systems, the course brings together policy leaders, technical experts, planners and advocates. It supports the long-term goal of strengthening mental health systems in alignment with WHO recommendations and EU priorities.
In a time when mental health is increasingly recognized as central to overall well-being, effective leadership is more important than ever. This course is not just about gaining knowledge, it is about empowering leaders to create meaningful, lasting impact.
By equipping a new generation of mental health leaders with the right tools and insights, we aim to drive systemic change that is both impactful and sustainable. We look forward to embarking on this transformative journey together with our Member States to help build mental health systems that are robust, inclusive and resilient.