Abstract
Social work is profoundly shaped by political and economic decisions that affect social structures and resource distribution. In a world in crisis, marked by disasters, conflicts, displacements, oppression, corruption, and failing states, the consequences are devastating for current and future generations, as well as for the natural environment. This picture is further clouded by the challenges posed by capitalism, climate change, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which underscore deepening inequalities and exclusion. This context presents ongoing challenges for social work, requiring a scaled-up approach to achieve social, economic and environmental justice, promote inclusion, and bridge divides, including the digital divide. To stay relevant in an ever-changing society, social work education must commit to ongoing transformation to prepare graduates to contribute to a just, inclusive, and sustainable world. Minimum and aspirational standards for social work education play a crucial role in guiding contextually relevant social work education and practice.
The updated Global Standards for Social Work Education and Practice, adopted by the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) General Assemblies in 2020, represent a significant milestone in establishing a foundation for global standards in social work education. On 29 May 2024, in partnership with the IASSW, the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University introduced the Global Standards for Social Work Education and Training E-learning course during an online inauguration ceremony. The announcement of the E-learning course, which is freely available for participants to complete at their own pace, received positive feedback from over 200 attendees worldwide. By bringing together social work educators and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, the event fostered a collaborative environment to address anticipated and unexpected challenges and opportunities in social work education and training. The platform was officially launched on 17 June 2024. To date, over 1000 participants from around the world have registered, with many completed the training and receiving certificates. To enhance accessible, language translations are currently in progress. The IASSW welcomes feedback from participants on the course and on how countries use the global standards as benchmarks for national education and training standards, as well as how they adapt these standards for local contexts. I recognise the role of the immediate past president, Annamaria Campanini, in launching the partnership with APSS and her ongoing engagement with the project. I also extend my gratitude to her for handing the IASSW baton to me on a solid foundation for future growth.
I began my journey as the newly elected President of IASSW on 1 July 2024. Coincidentally, I was in Japan that day, invited to speak at the 41st Annual Conference of the Japanese Society for the Study of Social Work at Tokyo Metropolitan University. During my stay, Prof Junko Wake, Vice President of this Society, Vice President of the Japanese Association for Social Work Education, and an IASSW Board member, along with her colleagues, provided me with a comprehensive introduction to international social work from a country-specific perspective. This was particularly enlightening following the stimulating Katherine Kendall Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Tatsuru Akimoto from Japan on international social work, as well as the Eileen Younghusband Memorial Lecture delivered by María Lorena Molina M. from Costa Rica at the Social Work and Social Development 2024 World Conference in Panama.
During my term, I envision the IASSW further developing international social work, which requires rethinking social work education to produce graduates who can effectively contribute to their local contexts while also shaping the global role of social work. To achieve this, the IASSW membership must be committed to a collaboratively developed agenda. In the months leading up to the planning meeting for the first IASSW Board Meeting of my presidency in January 2025, newly elected Secretary Prof. Janestic Twikirize, Executive Officer Rashmi Pandey, and I have been engaged in online meetings with IASSW Regional Presidents and Chairs of IASSW Committees. In this way, the new leadership has been introduced to the broad range of IASSW’s global and regional engagements and activities, including administrative and operational tasks. The meetings have been highly informative in co-developing the agenda for the planning meeting in January, setting the stage for IASSW’s work over the next 4 years. A key focus of this agenda is to engage social work educators’ expertise beyond the current membership and to foster growing interest in the work of IASSW at country and regional levels, thereby strengthening the association both locally and globally.
My vision for IASSW includes strong collaboration with the International Federation for Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Council for Social Welfare (ICSW). Social work educators, practitioners, and organisations are key partners in strengthening solidarity in social work at both global and local levels, contributing to inclusive and sustainable social transformation. In addition to collectively deciding on themes and collaborating on the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development and World Social Work Days, collaboration should also include shared plans and actions in research, advocacy, policy influencing, co-teaching of students, and continuous professional development of practitioners. This collaborative effort can lead to the emergence of evidence-based best practice case studies for education and training.
Together with IFSW and ICSW, and other social development partners, IASSW aims to develop a strong voice in advancing the social development approach, aimed at accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the upcoming second United Nations World Summit for Social Development in 2025. I believe that a strong partnership between IASSW, IFSW, and ICSW can elevate social work’s visibility as both local and global actors in building an inclusive, just, peaceful, and sustainable world. As my term concludes in 2028 – the century celebration year of these international bodies – I envision an ongoing engagement over the next 4 years within IASSW and among IASSW, IFSW and ICSW to continuously shape the current and future agenda for social work. This engagement will build on our achievements and challenges, re-defining both individual and collective roles in contributing to international social work and fostering transformative change for inclusive, just, peaceful and sustainable societies at both global and local levels.