International Association of Schools of Social Work

The International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) is a worldwide association of schools of social work, social work education programs at all levels, and social work educators.

IASSW aims to promote the development of social work education worldwide, develop standards for improving the quality of social work education, encourage international exchanges, create forums for sharing research and scholarship programs in social work, and promote social development and human rights through policy and advocacy activities. IASSW has consultative status with the United Nations and participates as a non-governmental organization in United Nations activities in Geneva, Vienna and New York. Through its work at the United Nations and with other international organizations, IASSW represents social work education at the international level.

The IASSW President's Office - Abye Tasse, is located at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. IASSW is governed by a Board of Directors under a Constitution approved by the General Assembly for a two-year term. The Association's mission emphasizes the promotion of strong development of social work education worldwide and the participation of the community of social work educators in international exchanges of information and experiences in social work education.

IASSW carries out its purposes through:

• The biannual conference of social work educators, which is also the Association's Congress.
• electronic newsletter publications
• participation in United Nations activities
• Co-sponsored with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) the publication of the International Journal of Social Work
• activities of committees and special groups
• funding for small national projects on social work training

Recent major policy documents from this Association include: Concepts of Social Work, Global Standards for Social Work Education, and Social Work Ethics: General Principles (edited by the International Federation of Social Workers).

IASSW was founded in 1928 at the First International Congress of Social Work in Paris. It was an initiative of 51 European schools of social work, originally known as the International Committee. It was re-established after World War II, and expanded its membership to many different countries and was renamed the International Association of Schools of Social Work. Its members are schools from all over the world, grouped into five regional organizations: Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America and the Caribbean. These regional organizations are represented on the Board of Directors and are administered through IASSW.

Membership is open to all schools, social work educators, and other individuals interested in social work education.

• Tran Kham
(According toiassw-aiets.org)