BACKGROUND AND AIMS

• To visit Griffith University, Australia and understand the approach to implementation of evidence-based treatments for OCD in Australia.
• To understand barriers/facilitators to implementation of evidence-based treatments for OCD in Australia and how this compares to the UK context.
• To identify opportunities for future collaboration.
• To share information with other early career researchers on how to facilitate international collaborations, in the form of an online talk.

• Visited Griffith University and carried out daily team meetings with Professor Lara Farrell and her team.
• Joined implementation planning meetings with services in Australia.
• Attended the Bright Lights and Big Ideas conference with Lara and her team.
• Conducted a 1 hour presentation titled 'Implementation of mental health interventions: how to make the most of local and international networks' to early career researchers affiliated with the MHR Incubator. This included key reflections on how to build international networks by targeting relevant individuals and starting small.

Outputs from this project include:

• Ongoing collaboration with Professor Lara Farrell and her team, including supervision for a PhD student based at Griffith University and collaborating on a grant focused on parent-led CBT for children with specific phobias in 2026.
• Presentation on forming international collaborations as an early career researcher.

The funding has enabled me to:

• Establish strong international connections.
• Identify and build additional opportunities for future international collaboration.