Professor Cooper graduated from Oxford University (Lincoln College), and completed his clinical training at UCH London and postgraduate psychiatric training at Royal Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals and Institute of Psychiatry, London, where he was leader of the UK team of the US/UK Diagnostic Project. Subsequent posts include consultant psychiatrist at Royal Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals and vice-dean of Institute of Psychiatry; Foundation Professor of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham Medical School (1972-1991). In all clinical work, John Cooper has been interested in development of close relationships between hospital psychiatry and psychiatry in primary care. Prof. Cooper was Consultant advisor to WHO in the development of ICD-8, ICD-9, and ICD-10, participant in WHO studies on schizophrenia, and WHO consultant on development of mental health services in United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Norman Sartorius was Director of the World Health Organization's mental health programme from 1977 - 1993, President of the World Psychiatric Association from 1993 - 1999 and has been President of the European Psychiatric Association since 1999. Dr Sartorius holds professorial appointments at the Universities of London, Prague and Zagreb and is Senior Associate of Faculty at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Dr Sartorius is among the world's leading authorities on fighting stigma, co-morbidity of mental and physical illness, public health aspects of psychiatry and psychiatric education