International

At the School of Social Work we are aware of the need to build global partnerships and networks through transnational outreach and dialogue. The transnational dimensions of social development, social problems and social change are key arenas for the social work profession and discipline. We have to extend our perspectives and different ways of knowledges to find transnational solutions for a better global future. We recognize the need to initiate processes of social transformation in the framework of the global SDG Agenda on all levels of social development.

In this section we present you some of our global outreach projects.

Prof. Dr. Lynne Healy (Main Representative of the IASSW to the UN, Prof. em. at the University of Connecticut, USA)

The Sustainable Development Agenda from a Social Work Perspective

Recorded on January 21st 2021

The keynote lecture was co-organized by Juri Kilian (University of Kassel) & Cerita Buchanan (Social Work Training and Research Center, University of the West Indies, Jamaica)

With forewords from 

Prof. Dr. Sigrid James on the social work research and teaching program at Kassel University 

and 

Prof. Dr. Ute Clement (vice-president of Kassel University) on the `Center for Sustainable Transformation development project` by the University.

A transnational panel comments the lecture of Lynne Healy:

Prof. Dr. Somnoma Valerie Ouedraogo (Mac Ewan University, Canada)

Prof. Dr. Janestic Twikirize (Makerere University, Uganda)

Prof. Dr. Mary Rauktis (Pittsburgh University, USA)

Prof. Dr. Mark Schrödter (University of Kassel, Germany)

Hamid Aaqil Shah (Social Worker and post-graduate researcher in Kabul, Afghanistan and Kassel, Germany)

Robert Blum (Social Work master student, ASH Berlin, Germany)

Mitchelle Olang (Social Work master student, Würzburg UAS, Germany)

At the end of 2022, a book was published, which was co-edited and in part authored by Prof. Dr. James, which is the result of an ongoing international collaboration on residential child and youth care. This collaboration has produced several publications, of which the recent publication is a highlight.

‘Empowering Residential Child Care through Interprofessional Training.’ Erasmus+ KA203. Funded through Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships. Project period: 2018-2021 – Cooperation Partners: Turku University of Applied Sciences/Finland, University of Kassel/Germany, University of Milano-Bicocca/Italy, University of Oviedo/Spain, Mykolas Romeris University/Lithuania

https://ercci.turkuamk.fi/en/

This 3-year 5-country project created a teaching module that is available to students and professionals interested in residential child and youth care. If you want to learn more about this module, which is freely available, contact Prof. James.

For several years our section has collaborated with the German Jordanian University/Master of Social Work Program, exchanging teachers and students through Erasmus+ KA 107 - International credit mobility for students and staff, participating in the Flying Faculty Program, and co-supervising MA thesis at the GJU. Prof. Dr. James has been part of the GJU Social Work Network and has been its Speaker since 2021.

https://www.gju.edu.jo/content/master-programme-social-work-migration-and-refugees-7919