This relationship aligns with the King’s vision of working with ‘collaborating partners around the world to enrich the student experience, strengthen our research and foster cultural exchange’. It embodies the King’s commitment to social impact and societal change by embedding service to society within the education experience.
Professor Claire Lomax, Deputy Head of the Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN)
17 April 2026
King's psychology staff build skills and relationships in Sri Lanka
Leaders of clinical psychology training at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London recently visited leaders of clinical mental health training in Sri Lanka to develop closer links and support training in Sri Lanka.
The aim of the visit was to help implement an elective clinical placement scheme for a small number of doctoral clinical trainees in their final year within Sri Lanka clinical services.
Placement experiences offered will focus on leadership, training, teaching, multicultural work, global mental health, evaluation and consultancy. Other aims of the visit are to develop a multi-centre research platform between UK and Sri Lanka developing research collaboration opportunities particularly around the experience, assessment and treatment of trauma.
The doctoral clinical training programme at the IoPPN has long-standing collaborative links with Sri Lanka, based on work and relationships led by former senior and very distinguished colleagues, Professors Bill Yule and Padmal de Silva. Examples of the contributions include the formation of the UK-Sri Lanka Trauma Group (UK-SLTG) in 1996, the establishment of Samutthana the King's College London Resource Centre for Trauma Displacement and Mental Health in Sri Lanka in 2006 and the MPhil in Clinical Psychology at the University of Colombo in 2008.
Many aspiring psychologists have volunteered for the UK-Sri Lanka Trauma Group, alongside several of our graduates – one of whom is still active in their leadership team. The placements planned for 2027 would be hosted by colleagues within Samutthana.
During the visit Professor Lomax and Mark Balham, Senior Commissioned Programmes Manager met both the Prime Minister and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka. Dr Tim Meynen also held a one-day workshop for mental health professionals in Sri Lanka on their areas of expertise.