Research and Training Infrastructure

Mental Health Sciences Civic Engagement Unit

The Civic Engagement Unit (CEU) will allow us to ensure that the work of the Institute is fully co-produced and designed at all levels through genuine and meaningful engagement and collaboration with external partners and user groups.

This acknowledges the ‘expertise through experience’ that exists outside of academic structures, and that approaches to tackling real world problems require real world solutions.

The CEU will have three main strands: a ‘Young Experts Academy’, consisting of 10-15 young people from across Northern Ireland with experience of some form of early adversity or mental health issue; an ‘Adult Experts Forum’, consisting of 10-15 adults from across Northern Ireland with experience of some form of early adversity or mental health issue; and a ‘Strategic Advisory Board’, involving 15-20 representatives of external partner organisations across the statutory and voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland, focusing on children/young people and/or adult mental health.

The CEU will also host a Therapy Hub/Centre, funded by external partner organisations, to provide direct therapeutic support to vulnerable populations within our local community, and utilising the developing skill base of our student clinical trainees.

Mental Health Sciences Research Methods Hub

Through our research methods hub, we are seeking to develop and apply innovative methodological approaches to our research. In this, we aim to develop, test, and disseminate novel methods to answer the most challenging questions in mental health sciences research, and support capacity building in methods across the University.

Robust research methods are vital, and our expertise spans both qualitative and quantitative methods. We will offer training courses in research methods for both our MSc and PhD students as well as external partner organisations.

Mental Health Sciences Training Academy

The Mental Health Sciences Training Academy will develop the capacity of practitioners, PhD researchers and early career academics to train future generations of mental health specialists.

We will deliver research-led training which focuses on research methods and evidence-based practice through short courses and CPD opportunities for those working in mental health sciences.

We will also offer annual funded PhD Studentships in mental health sciences and opportunities for networking and mentorship to PhD and early career researchers.