Looking back on ECP 2023
It’s been three weeks since we welcomed the psychological world to Brighton for the European Congress of Psychology 2023.
28 July 2023
By Sarb Bajwa
I'm delighted that the event was a highly successful showcase for all that's great about our discipline.
From the moment that the fantastic Brighton Gay Men's Chorus took to the stage on Monday evening to kick off our opening ceremony, I saw so many smiling faces around the venue and had the opportunity to take in some fascinating sessions and meet colleagues from around Europe and beyond.
We were able to welcome a total of 1,253 delegates through the doors of the Brighton centre across the four days of the conference – thank you to everyone who joined us and helped to make it such an engaging and inclusive event, with 70 countries represented.
We were proud of the scientific programme that we were able to put together, with 699 different presenters involved in delivering 974 sessions which covered the entire breadth of psychology and ensured that there was something for everyone to enjoy.
It was also great to see that the traditional British seaside weather didn't dampen spirits on Tuesday evening, with hundreds braving the rain to join us for the social event on Brighton pier, taking in arcade games, amusement rides and fish and chips.
Hosting the congress has been a fantastic experience for us, and I want to thank the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations again for putting their faith in us and helping to deliver a successful event.
The baton now passes to our colleagues from the Cyprus Psychologists' Association, which will be hosting the next congress. I'm sure it will be another must-visit showcase of psychology across our continent.
The society recently hosted its Annual General Meeting, which was once again entirely virtual following the success of this format in 2022.
It allows for members to be able to join us and find out more about our work in the last year, while also giving the opportunity for people to ask questions of myself and the society's management team.
Thanks to all of the members who joined us – if you want to find out more about the society's work during 2022 and some of our most significant achievements in that time, our Review of the Year is now available on our website and covers many of the highlights. It's well worth a read.