European initiatives in psychology education and research.

Psychology within the EU is likely to become more coherent as a discipline with initiatives such as the European Diploma of Psychology, and more and more countries adopting the Bologna process as the basis of their educational provision. In addition, text books now appear which are adapted from American versions, giving a »European« perspective. The European Federation of Psychologists Associations (EFPA), though it does not award research grants, is keen to promote initiatives such as the new European Research Council, which has recently come into existence. Within EFPA's Committee on Scientific Affairs, there are initiatives to make PhD arrangements more homogeneous across Europe, in order to enhance opportunities for migration and personnel transfer. Some current projects of international interest will be discussed. In particular, ethical issues need to be addressed on a broad scale, since the credibility of psychology, and public confidence in the profession, is dependent upon there being open and transparent ethical procedures. This applies to the conduct of professional therapy and also more mundane matters such as the ethical approval procedures adopted within individual psychology departments in which research is conducted by staff researchers and by undergraduates during training. The British psychological Society has recently produced a document, which is being considered currently for pan-European application, on this issue.