Professor Pamela Qualter appointed as co-chair of WHO Commission Advisory Group

Professor Pamela Qualter

In November 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) established the Commission on Social Connection, which aims to reposition social connection as a genuine global public health and well-being priority and to scale up cost-effective solutions to address loneliness and social isolation. 

Pamela Qualter, Professor of Education at Manchester Institute of Education, has been appointed co-chair of the Technical Advisory Group 

The Technical Advisory Group on Social Connection will act as an advisory body to the WHO Commission on the issue of social connection and its impact on health and society.  

Due to the complexity of the issue, the Advisory Group brings together representatives from different sectors and disciplines including psychologists, psychiatrists, educationalists, social epidemiologists, social gerontologists, paediatricians, public health specialists, and experts in digital mental health.  

Professor Qualter notes that the development of the Technical Advisory Group ensures a robust research-informed world-wide approach to tackling loneliness, and will co-chair with Professor Shankar from Flame University in India.