Groningen, Netherlands

Understanding and Preventing Suicide and Suicidal Behavior

This summer school will inspire you to learn more about this tragedy called suicide- that many people suffer from. We accomplish this through interactive lectures, and workshops from experts in the field of suicide prevention. Also, there will be brainstorm sessions throughout the week for students to challenge them to form their own Zero Suicide plan. You will have a chance to present your plan to your fellow students at the end of the summer school.

The summer school is a unique collaboration between the University of Groningen, and Surenet (Suicide Research Network the Netherlands). The summer school will primarily be held at the University of Groningen with one day during Summer School programme being held at 113 Suicide Prevention in Amsterdam.

The summer school invites students and researchers from social sciences, humanities, medical sciences and computer science to participate. Our goal is to inspire a new generation of students and researchers, and to stimulate them to explore new collaborations and directions to decrease the burden of suicidality among people throughout the world.

Course leader

Dr. Diana van Bergen, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Target group

This course is designed for BA and MA students, PhD students, professionals, junior researchers and postdoctoral researchers. The students and researchers should have an interest in mental health and a background in Social Sciences, Humanities, Medical Sciences, or Computer Science.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Course aim

After this course you will be able to:

1. The participant will have knowledge of the risk factors and protective factors for people with suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.

2. The participant understand which interventions are effective in treating suicidal complaints according to the latest scientific evidence.

3. The participant has gained understanding in different methodologies and their approaches to prevent (attempted) suicides.

4. The participant has gained understanding of different research disciplines and their contributions to the field.

5. The participant knows how to collaborate with fellow students/researchers and has developed and presented their ideas on the prevention of suicides.

Credits info

1.5 EC
Workload and certificate

Preparation: 15 hours
Lectures: 20 hours
Presentation: 2 hours

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 37 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Fee info

EUR 150: for Bachelor and Master students, research assistants and students from low- and middle income countries
EUR 295: PhD students, junior researchers and postdoctoral researchers

500 euro for professionals