PSYCLIN

Committee for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Swiss Universities (PSYCLIN)

PSYCLIN represents university professors in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Swiss Universities. It particularly has the following duties:

• PSYCLIN represents university professors in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Swiss Universities. It particularly has the following duties:
• Collaboration in the development of pre- and postgraduate curricula in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, in particular adapting them to the changing legal requirements (e.g., in the context of the new prescription model for psychotherapy).
• Monitoring of the postgraduate training in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy and the elaboration of an annual report on characteristics of the postgraduate training at Swiss Universities, in particular on admission criteria, number of prospective and first-year students, duration of studies, number of graduates and dropouts, development of new courses or modifications.
• Elaboration and implementation of measures to ensure the quality of the content, structure, and process of the postgraduate training in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Swiss Universities.
• Elaboration and communication of statements on behalf of SPS on professional policies in general and specifically on health policy aspects, in which clinical psychologists and psychotherapists are involved.
• Representation of the interests of SPS and the Swiss Universities for the field of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy regarding the elaboration and implementation of a system change from a delegation to a prescription model as well as communication with stakeholders (FOPH, insurance companies, FMH, FSP, other associations, santésuisse, H+, ProMenteSana, Curafutura, SwissUniversities).
• Representation of the interests of SPS and the Swiss Universities in all questions related to public relations around Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy.

PSYCLIN consists of full and associated members from the field of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Swiss Universities, who are SPS members.

Full members are full professors, associate professors as well as titular professors with a focus on Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at a Swiss University, who are SPS members and who lead recognized study programs in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at master´s level at a university.

Associate members are professors in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy without a permanent appointment at a Swiss University (e.g., SNF professors, Eccellenza professors, assistant professors) or professors in the area of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy with a permanent employment at a psychiatric clinic or university hospital, who are SPS members.
Associate membership also includes the representatives of the mid-level faculty (senior assistants, assistants, doctoral students) or student representatives in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, who are SPS members.

The Board decides upon the admission of new members. The decisions will be announced by all members and come into force unless some ordinary members object to the decision until 4 weeks after the announcement. In such cases admission needs to be decided upon at the next General Assembly.

A rejection by the Board does not require justification, and there is no possibility of legal recourse.

At the General Assembly, every full member has the right to vote as well as the right to active and passive elections. A delegation of vote is not possible. Associate members may participate in the General Assembly in an advisory capacity; however, they may not vote or elect.

Membership ceases through resignation.

A resignation must be submitted to the Board in writing no later than 3 months before the end of the fiscal year. The resignation comes into effect at the end of the fiscal year.

The Annual Meeting is the body of PSYCLIN. It will be carried out once a year in vivo or by video call. The Annual Meetings will be organized by the chairs. On a rotating basis, the Annual Meeting will take place during the SPS Congress or separately in vivo or by video call at a university.

Place and time of the Annual Meeting will be communicated to members at least 10 weeks in advance. Email invitations are valid.

Individual proposals and requests for the agenda must be submitted to the chair by the members at the latest two weeks before the respective Annual Meeting.

Agenda items will be sent to the members at least one week before the scheduled date of the Annual Meeting.

Upon the request of one fifth of all full members or upon the decision of the Board an extraordinary General Assembly can be called any time with a notice period of three weeks.

All members are invited to participate in the Annual Meeting. Following the Annual Meeting, a meeting between representatives of the training courses and/or Institutes for Continuing Education in clinical psychology associated with the respective university will take place.

The Annual Meeting

• Decides upon appealed memberships.
• Mandates the exclusion of Board members.
• Approves the Annual Report.
• Determines PSYCLIN´s accession to other national or international bodies.
• Decides upon modifications of the statutes as well as the dissolution of PSYCLIN.

The Annual Meeting has a quorum regardless of the number of members present. It can only decide upon items on the agenda.

Annual Meeting resolutions are passed with a simple majority of given votes insofar as the statutes or the law do not require otherwise. A second vote will take place in the event of a tie vote.

The chair decides in case of a repeated tie.

Votes and elections follow the raised hand principle. Upon request of a member, a secret ballot will be carried out.

Votes and elections will be recorded in written and delivered to all members.

Every university with at least one division or department in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy mandates a representative, who will be a member of the Board. Only full members of PSYCLIN can be elected to the Board.

The Board member term is 2 years. A re-election is possible.

The Board takes care of ongoing operations, which are not explicitly reserved for the Annual Meeting or other bodies. This involves in particular:

• Calling and preparing the Annual Meeting
• Drafting the agenda items in consideration of the requests by the Annual Meeting
• Appointing those individuals who will represent PSYCLIN externally and in other committees (it will be considered that representatives of PSYCLIN are appointed depending on needs and availabilities)
• Appointing and dissolving working groups

Resolutions can be taken at the Annual Meeting or at additional meetings. Further, resolutions can be taken by way of circulation, if the decisions need to be taken beyond Annual Meetings due to time constraints.

The statutes can only be amended by resolution of the Annual Meeting if at least 2/3 of the present voting members decide.

These statutes were approved by the SPS General Assembly in Geneva on September 11th, 2020.