Spotlight on Exeter as Europe’s biggest mind and medicine conference comes to town

Europe’s largest psychedelic conference arrives in Exeter this week, as the city plays host to Breaking Convention and celebrates the very first graduates from the University of Exeter’s UK-first psychedelics programme.

More than 200 speakers from around the world will descend on the university’s Streatham Campus between 17–19 April for the biennial event, which brings together experts across medicine, psychology, law, philosophy, politics, and the arts.

Among them will be members of the inaugural cohort from Exeter’s Postgraduate Certificate in Psychedelics, the first course of its kind in the UK when it launched at the 2022 conference.

The programme was created to up-skill healthcare professionals, therapists and researchers in the emerging field of psychedelic science.

Dr Sohere Roked, a GP originally from Wales now based in London, previously worked in psychiatry before becoming a general practitioner. She said she signed up to the programme out of a desire to explore deeper causes of illness beyond conventional medicine.

“As I started to learn about the medical potential for psychedelics, I really wanted to be on the forefront,” said Dr Roked. “A lot of the courses available were US-based, so I was delighted to see this offered by a Russell Group university in the UK.”

She added that the course challenged her thinking, allowing her to combine medical science with philosophical and cultural perspectives. “It’s changed the way I think, with more appreciation for how art and science meet, which has definitely had a positive impact on my practice.”

London-based psychotherapist Emma Roselli enrolled on the course to be prepared for potential changes in clinical practice. Since graduating, she has taken a new role as a therapist at a clinic facilitating clinical trials in psychedelics.

“As a psychotherapist, I support clients to explore what may be driving their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, some of which may be outside their awareness,” she explained. “In a controlled clinical setting, psychedelics can act as a powerful aid, offering fresh perspectives and accelerating therapeutic progress.”

Programme leader Dr Andy Letcher also commented, saying, “In many ways, our first graduates are pioneers. They’ve studied cutting-edge research across science, anthropology and ethics - not least the health benefits psychedelics may bring.”

Philosopher Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, a co-director of the conference, will also be speaking at the event alongside fellow Exeter academics Professor Celia Morgan, Dr Leor Roseman, Dr Emily Selove and PhD researchers Eirini Argyri and Naina Gupta.

Professor Morgan, a world leader in psychedelic research, is running clinical studies into ketamine-assisted therapy for alcohol use and exploring the accessibility of psychedelic therapies through trials in partnership with the NHS.

The on-campus MSc will welcome its first intake in September 2025.