ASEAN REGIONAL UNION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETIES

About Us

From Crisis to Regional Unity

Born from post-tsunami efforts, ARUPS promotes ethical, collaborative psychology.

ARUPS Founding History

ARUPS was founded on 2 August 2006, during the inaugural ARUPS Congress in Jakarta, Indonesia. The union emerged as a collaborative initiative to unite psychological societies across ASEAN in advancing mental health, psychological research, and professional development. The founding statutes were signed by representatives from HIMPSI (Indonesia), PSIMA (Malaysia), PAP (Philippines), SPS (Singapore), and TPA (Thailand), with key contributions from Dr Elizabeth Nair of IUPsyS, who facilitated early capacity-building efforts. These efforts began after the devastating 2004 tsunami, which underscored the need for regional psychological collaboration.

Vision & Mission

To be the leading regional platform that unites and advances psychology in ASEAN through collaboration, innovation, and culturally responsive practice for the well-being of individuals and communities. 
To realize this vision, the organization is committed to the following strategic missions:

  • To strengthen collaboration and mutual support among national psychological societies in the region.
  • To promote culturally relevant and evidence-based psychological services that address regional needs and challenges.
  • To advocate for the role of psychology in public policy, mental health, and community development in ASEAN.

Objectives

ARUPS is driven by a set of shared objectives that reflect its commitment to advancing psychology and supporting its development across the region.

  • To promote psychology as a science and a profession.
  • To promote psychological research, applications, and practice, and to facilitate the exchange of psychological knowledge.
  • To foster communication, cooperation, and collaboration between Country Member Psychological Societies in Southeast Asia, and to contribute to their development.
  • To promote the establishment and strengthening of ethical codes for psychology professionals.
  • To promote psychology as a means to improve well-being.
  • To advance psychology education and the profession in Southeast Asia in response to regional and global needs.
  • To support psychological research and development.
  • To support Country Member Psychological Societies in promoting psychology nationally.
  • To collaborate with international psychology bodies and related disciplines.
  • To position ARUPS as a regional resource on psychological issues.

Milestones

The journey of ARUPS is marked by key milestones that reflect its growth, regional impact, and ongoing commitment to advancing psychology across ASEAN. Each moment highlights the collective efforts that have shaped the organization’s path and strengthened its role in the region.

The 8th ASEAN Regional Union of Psychological Societies (ARUPS) Congress was held jointly with the 61st Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) Annual Convention in Cebu City, Philippines, on September 25–27, 2025 (with pre-convention workshops on September 24)

September 24-27 , 2025
September 24-26, 2024

The 2024 Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) Annual Convention (PAPCON) in Baguio was held on September 26–28, 2024. The ASEAN Regional Union of Psychological Societies (ARUPS) joined as keynote speakers and facilitators in the program.  The Diamond Jubilee event marked a major milestone for the organizations.

The 7th ASEAN Regional Union of Psychological Societies (ARUPS) Congress and the 3rd Malaysian International Psychology Conference (MIPC) took place concurrently in Penang, Malaysia, from August 2 to 4, 2019. Hosted at Universiti Sains Malaysia, the joint event centered on the theme "Future Frontiers of Asian Psychology: Enhancing Societal Well-being"

August 2 to 4, 2019
20-22 February 2018

In 2018, the ARUPS Congress was hosted by the Indonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI) from February 20–22, 2018, in Kuta, Bali.

  • Theme: "Driving Mental Revolution in the Psychological Century: Enhancing Psychological Services for a Better Future".
  • Focus: The event gathered professionals from across the ASEAN region to discuss regional clinical cooperation and culturally responsive practices.

ARUPS organised congresses in Bangkok, Thailand (2008); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2010); Quezon City, Philippines (2013); and Singapore (2015). These events facilitated professional exchange and the growth of ASEAN’s psychological community​.

2008-2015
2007

Under the leadership of Dr Rahmat Ismail, ARUPS was invited by the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS) to establish a formal affiliation. This recognition underscored ARUPS' growing influence in regional and international psychology​.

The inaugural ARUPS Congress in Jakarta formalised the establishment of ARUPS, with its statutes emphasising the promotion of psychology as a science and profession, regional collaboration, and the application of psychological knowledge for public well-being​​.

2006
2005

A precursor to ARUPS was the IUPsyS-supported Psychology Capacity Building Workshop, held in Singapore. It brought together psychologists from tsunami-affected countries to develop ethical and effective psychosocial interventions, laying the groundwork for ARUPS​.