The Role of IASSW in Shaping Social Work Education Worldwide

When social work education needs guidance across continents and cultures, one organization has been quietly shaping standards and practices for nearly a century. Founded in 1928, the International Association of Schools of Social Work brings together educational institutions, programs, and educators to advance social work training worldwide. From its early days with just 51 European schools to becoming a global network represented in all world regions, this organization has transformed how future social workers learn their profession.

Mission and vision 🔗

The organization operates with a clear vision: promoting and developing excellence in social work education, research, and scholarship across the globe in pursuit of a more just and equitable world. This ambitious goal drives everything from its policy work to its educational initiatives.

Its mission breaks down into four main areas. First, it represents and promotes social work education globally through partnerships with national, regional, and international associations. Second, it creates and maintains an engaged community of social work educators and programs. Third, it supports mutual exchanges of research and curriculum resources among members. Finally, it promotes educational strategies and policies for a more just world.

This mission statement isn’t just words on paper. The organization actively promotes the development of social work education worldwide, develops standards to enhance quality, encourages international exchange, provides forums for sharing research and scholarship, and promotes human rights and social development through policy and advocacy activities.

What makes this approach particularly meaningful is its foundation in human rights principles. In carrying out its work, the organization adheres to all United Nations Declarations and Conventions on human rights, recognizing that respect for individual rights forms the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace.

Governance and structure 🔗

The organization’s governance structure balances democratic participation with effective leadership. A Board of Directors governs operations under a Constitution approved by the biennial General Assembly, which serves as the primary decision-making body where member institutions have a voice.

The presidential office currently operates from the University of Pretoria in South Africa under Professor Emeritus Antoinette Lombard. This rotating leadership ensures different regions and perspectives guide the organization over time.

Regional representation 🔗

Five regional associations are affiliated with the organization and represented on the Board: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America and the Caribbean. This regional structure ensures that local contexts and needs inform global decisions.

The work gets done through various committees and task forces covering areas like nomination and election, capacity building, human rights, social justice, communication, publication, sustainability, climate change, and disaster intervention. Task forces focus on specific initiatives like the Global Agenda and Global Standards for Education and Training.

Publications and standards 🔗

Perhaps the organization’s most significant contribution to social work education comes through its standard-setting work. Together with the International Federation of Social Workers, it has developed three foundational documents that guide social work education and practice worldwide.

Global definition of social work 🔗

The Global Definition of Social Work, approved at the General Assembly in July 2014, provides a common understanding of what social work is and what social workers do. This definition helps ensure consistency while respecting local variations in how social work is practiced.

Ethics in social work 🔗

The Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles represents the organization’s version of the Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles. The General Assembly unanimously adopted this statement on July 5, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland. It’s now available in multiple languages including English, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Global standards for education and training 🔗

The most comprehensive document is the Global Standards for Social Work Education and Training, approved in July 2020. This updated version resulted from an extensive 18-month global consultation involving academics, practitioners, and experts across 125 countries, with input from approximately 400 universities and educational organizations.

These standards aim to ensure consistency in social work education while valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion. They support educational programs that adhere to professional values and policies, safeguard staff and students, provide excellent learning opportunities incorporating research and practice knowledge, nurture collaboration between schools, and help institutions become thriving, inclusive teaching environments.

The organization also co-sponsors International Social Work, a peer-reviewed journal now in its seventh decade, published by Sage. This provides a forum for sharing research globally. An online magazine, Social Dialogue, offers more accessible content for the broader social work education community.

Collaborations and advocacy 🔗

The organization’s influence extends far beyond academic circles through its strategic partnerships and advocacy work. Its longest-standing and most significant relationship is with the United Nations.

United Nations engagement 🔗

The organization gained consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1947, making it among the very first NGOs to receive this certification. This status has been maintained continuously for over 75 years.

Today, the organization maintains active representation at UN headquarters in New York and Geneva, with processes underway for representation in Bangkok, Nairobi, and Vienna. Representatives participate as an NGO in UN activities across these locations, attending meetings, organizing side events at UN Commissions, submitting policy statements, and advocating for social work values.

Specific areas of UN engagement include the Commission on Social Development, Commission on the Status of Women, and High Level Political Forum. Representatives actively participate in NGO committees focusing on migration, women, social development, mental health, aging, the family, and children.

Partnership with IFSW and other organizations 🔗

The organization works closely with the International Federation of Social Workers on multiple initiatives. Beyond the three global documents mentioned earlier, they jointly developed the Global Agenda 2010-2020 and are currently developing the Global Agenda 2020-2030. Together with the International Council on Social Welfare, they sponsor World Social Work Day at the United Nations annually, with themes based on Global Agenda pillars.

Educational programs and conferences 🔗

The organization fulfills its educational mission through several key programs. A biennial congress brings social work educators together to share new research and practice. These conferences have been held regularly since 1950, rotating through different continents to ensure global accessibility.

It also funds small cross-national projects in social work education, supporting collaborative research and curriculum development across borders. Regional Resource Centers, like the China Social Work Research Centre launched in March 2016 through collaboration between Peking and Hong Kong Polytechnic Universities, provide hubs for regional research and education initiatives.

Historical evolution and future direction 🔗

Understanding where this organization came from helps explain its current priorities. Initially comprised of 51 schools mostly in Europe and known as the International Committee, the organization was revitalized after World War II and renamed to reflect its growing international scope.

By 1966, member schools existed in 46 countries, with conferences held in Asia and Latin America. The first African conference took place in Nairobi in 1974. This expansion coincided with the growth of newly independent nations and recognition of social work’s role in development and establishment of new training programs.

Today, the organization’s commitment remains focused on advocacy for human rights, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Its Human Rights Committee combines advocacy with education, while UN representatives participate consistently in meetings and policy discussions that have continued since 1947.

The organization archives, held at the Social Welfare History Archive at the University of Minnesota, document this rich history and evolution. These materials provide valuable insights into how social work education has developed globally over nearly a century.

What do you think? How might global standards for social work education need to evolve to address emerging challenges like climate change, digital transformation, and increasing global inequality? What role should regional variations play in an increasingly interconnected world of social work practice?

References

1. https://www.iassw-aiets.org/about-iassw/
2. https://www.iassw-aiets.org/about-iassw/mission-statement/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Schools_of_Social_Work
4. https://www.iassw-aiets.org/global-standards-for-social-work-education-and-training/
5. https://www.iassw-aiets.org/about-iassw/brief-history/