Bartels M, Batra A, Aicher L*, Hefler T*, Buchkremer G
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, *Department of Information Technology
University of Tuebingen, Germany

From 1.-31.12.1997, the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Germany, in cooperation with the Department of Information Technology, organised the first ever virtual congress on psychiatry in the Internet.
The congress was aimed at facilitating exchange of results of psychiatric studies and ideas and at stimulating discussion among interested colleagues.
Almost 100 participants from 17 countries on four continents took part in this first ever, unique event.
16 contributions were presented and discussed. The problems and opportunities of this medium in the organisation and running of congresses are presented and discussed.