World Psychiatric Association
The World Psychiatric Association is a Geneva-based international non-profit, founded in 1951, that represents 147 psychiatric societies across 123 countries and over 250,000 psychiatrists. It advances global mental health through the World Psychiatry journal, a triennial World Congress, and the WPA Education Portal.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What World Psychiatric Association does
The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is an international non-profit professional association founded in 1951 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as the umbrella body for 147 national psychiatric societies across 123 countries, representing more than 250,000 psychiatrists worldwide. Its mission centers on advancing psychiatry and mental health, reducing stigma, improving psychiatric education and training, and addressing global mental health disparities through advocacy, volunteer programs, and human-rights work in mental health care.
WPA's core product portfolio is anchored by the World Psychiatry journal (impact factor 79.683, the #1 psychiatric journal globally for seven consecutive years, published in English, Spanish, and Russian), the triennial World Congress of Psychiatry and accompanying regional/thematic congresses, and the WPA Education Portal (edu.wpanet.org), launched in 2021 as the organization's central digital learning platform. The Education Portal hosts 25+ educational modules covering anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, comorbidity, psychotherapy approaches, telepsychiatry, suicide prevention, disaster psychiatry, and an ICD-11 training course co-developed with the Global Mental Health Academy. WPA also operates a Volunteer Programme placing high-income-country psychiatrists in low- and middle-income countries, a formal Graduate Diploma in International Psychiatry with the University of Melbourne, and a network of Collaborating Centres, Working Groups, and Scientific Sections.
WPA is funded primarily through member society dues, congress registrations and sponsorships, publication revenues, donations, and modest CPD certificate fees (USD $15 per certificate). Distribution is conducted through the global Member Society network, the Education Portal, in-person congresses, social media channels, and webinars. WPA holds strategic partnerships with the World Health Organization, UN OHCHR, Fountain House, EPA, ECNP, and pharmaceutical supporters Teva and Viatris. It is governed by an Executive Committee, Board, and General Assembly composed of member societies; current President is Prof. Danuta Wasserman (2023-2026 term).
World Psychiatric Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- World Psychiatric Association
- Legal name
- World Psychiatric Association
- Website
- https://wpanet.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The World Psychiatric Association is a Geneva-based international non-profit, founded in 1951, that represents 147 psychiatric societies across 123 countries and over 250,000 psychiatrists. It advances global mental health through the World Psychiatry journal, a triennial World Congress, and the WPA Education Portal.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where World Psychiatric Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Geneva
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
World Psychiatric Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CPD Certificate |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
World Psychiatric Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is an international non-profit professional association that represents 147 psychiatric societies across 123 countries with over 250,000 psychiatrists. It delivers continuing medical education through its Education Portal, organizes the triennial World Congress of Psychiatry and regional/thematic congresses, publishes the flagship peer-reviewed journal World Psychiatry, runs a volunteer program placing psychiatrists from high-income countries into training roles in low- and middle-income countries, and develops formal academic programs such as the Graduate Diploma in International Psychiatry.
Product overview
The World Psychiatric Association operates a unified platform-centric model centered on its Education Portal (edu.wpanet.org), which delivers over 25 educational modules covering diverse mental health topics including anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, comorbidity, addictive disorders, psychotherapy approaches, suicide prevention, and disaster psychiatry. The WPA portfolio includes the flagship World Psychiatry journal (impact factor 79.683), annual World Congress of Psychiatry and regional/thematic congresses, the Volunteer Programme connecting psychiatrists across income-divided regions, ICD-11 training courses, and formal academic programmes like the Graduate Diploma in International Psychiatry. These offerings are designed to serve psychiatrists, mental health professionals, students, and member societies across 147 psychiatric societies from 123 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WPA Education Portal The primary online learning platform delivering educational curricula, webinars, and training modules to psychiatrists and mental health professionals worldwide, providing connection between trainers and trainees with content in multiple languages.
- World Psychiatry Journal
Companies that use World Psychiatric Association
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
World Psychiatric Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
World Psychiatric Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)coreWPA President participates in the First Historic Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Older Persons at Palais des Nations in Geneva, contributing to negotiations on strengthening the international legal framework for human rights of older persons.
- World Health Organization (WHO)coreWPA partners with WHO on various mental health initiatives including the Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health, WHO Mental Health Report, and WHO QualityRights e-training program.
- Fountain HousecorePartnership to deliver the 'Partners in Care' curriculum - a three-part series focused on recovery for people with serious mental illness, training mental health professionals in integrated care principles.
- Global Mental Health AcademycoreJoint sponsorship of ICD-11 online courses for mental health professionals, providing comprehensive training on WHO's ICD-11 Diagnostic Guidelines for Mental, Behavioral or Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
- European Psychiatric Association (EPA)coreCollaboration with EPA Board of 44 National Psychiatric Associations and other professional organizations to provide mental health support resources for Ukraine during the humanitarian crisis.
- European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)minorProfessional collaboration to bring together relevant self-help materials and mental health resources for those affected by the Ukraine crisis.
- TevaminorPharmaceutical company supporter of the WPA Education Portal, enabling development and delivery of educational curricula.
- ViatrisminorPharmaceutical company supporter of the WPA Education Portal, enabling development and delivery of educational curricula.
- Interaction CouncilminorWPA joined global public and environmental health organizations in backing the Interaction Council's Manifesto to Secure a Healthy Planet for All, addressing climate change's impact on mental health.
- Low and Middle Income CountriescoreWPA Volunteer Program aims to redress the imbalance where 80% of psychiatric expertise is concentrated in 30% of countries, by drawing volunteers from high income countries to provide training and education where needed most.
- citiesRISEminorLong-term goal to develop and leverage partnerships enabling psychiatry to have a stronger voice in mental health advocacy and youth mental health initiatives.
- Juan José López-Ibor FoundationminorCollaboration with citiesRISE and foundation to strengthen psychiatry's voice in mental health advocacy.
- Jean Delay PrizecoreOne of psychiatry's most prestigious awards, conferred triennially by the World Psychiatric Association at its World Congress of Psychiatry. Recognizes outstanding contributions to psychiatry.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
World Psychiatric Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists: Binational professional college for psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand, with training accreditation, publications, and congress activities. Mirrors WPA's structure of professional credentialing, journal publication, and educational programming for member psychiatrists.
- World Federation for Mental Health: International NGO focused on mental health advocacy, education, and stigma reduction across users, professionals, and policymakers. Overlaps with WPA on global mental health awareness, World Mental Health Day, and human-rights-oriented advocacy.
- European Psychiatric Association: Europe's regional psychiatric association and a confirmed WPA partner (collaborating on Ukraine mental health support). Comparable as a multi-country psychiatric membership organization running congresses, journals, and educational activities across a defined geographic scope.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists: UK professional body for psychiatrists with global membership, journal (BJPsych), and educational accreditation authority. Comparable to WPA in its membership, journal, and credentialing model — operates as a country-level counterpart to WPA's international scope.
- American Psychiatric Association: The leading US professional psychiatric association, publishing multiple top journals and running continuing education programmes. Directly comparable to WPA as a national psychiatric society federation member operating a journal, education portal, and advocacy platform — WPA operates at the global layer above this peer.
Emerging players
- European College of Neuropsychopharmacology: European scientific organization for neuropsychopharmacology research and education. Confirmed WPA partner (Ukraine crisis response) with congresses and journals, partially overlapping WPA's educational and advocacy scope within a narrower neuropharmacology lens.
- International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions: Specialized international association for child and adolescent psychiatry with congresses and educational resources. Comparable to WPA as a specialty-focused global psychiatric organization with education programmes, though narrower in population focus.
Broad incumbents
- World Medical Association: Global umbrella for national medical associations across all specialties. Comparable to WPA as a higher-tier international federation running journals, ethics codes, and education for member medical societies — though broader in scope than WPA's psychiatric specialty focus.
- American Psychological Association: Largest professional organization for psychologists in the US with global reach, journals, and continuing education. Adjacent peer with comparable membership, journal (impact factor leader in psychology), and educational infrastructure — distinct discipline but analogous operating model to WPA.
Others
- World Health Organization: UN agency responsible for international public health and a confirmed WPA partner. Not a peer competitor but a counterpart in global mental health governance — WPA's collaboration on ICD-11, QualityRights, and the WHO Mental Health Report makes WHO the most relevant institutional counterpart.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
World Psychiatric Association social profiles
Digital presenceWorld Psychiatric Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
World Psychiatric Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
World Psychiatric Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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World Psychiatric Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about World Psychiatric Association
What does World Psychiatric Association do?
The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is an international non-profit professional association that represents 147 psychiatric societies across 123 countries with over 250,000 psychiatrists. It delivers continuing medical education through its Education Portal, organizes the triennial World Congress of Psychiatry and regional/thematic congresses, publishes the flagship peer-reviewed journal World Psychiatry, runs a volunteer program placing psychiatrists from high-income countries into training roles in low- and middle-income countries, and develops formal academic programs such as the Graduate Diploma in International Psychiatry.
Is World Psychiatric Association a public or private company?
World Psychiatric Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was World Psychiatric Association founded?
World Psychiatric Association was founded in 1951. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is World Psychiatric Association based?
World Psychiatric Association is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
Who are World Psychiatric Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, World Federation for Mental Health, European Psychiatric Association, Royal College of Psychiatrists and American Psychiatric Association. Emerging players are European College of Neuropsychopharmacology and International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions. Broad incumbents are World Medical Association and American Psychological Association. World Health Organization is listed as an others.
Does World Psychiatric Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for World Psychiatric Association.