34th Congress of the World Association of Social Work Schools

From 20 to 24 July 2008, the 34th Congress of the International Association of Schools of Social Work will be held in Durban, South Africa. This Congress has the theme “Crossing the global-local divide” to build the capacity of social workers to meet the needs of vulnerable groups in developing countries.

The primary purpose of the World Association of Schools of Social Work is to promote the development of social work education worldwide. It also aims to develop standards for social work education, encourage international exchanges, create forums for sharing research and social work scholarship programs, and promote human rights and social development through advocacy and policy development. The outcomes of this 34th Congress are aimed at achieving social justice for millions of marginalized people around the world.

The 33rd Congress was held in 2006 in Chile with the participation of more than 1,000 delegates from 79 countries around the world.

South Africa's Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya, will deliver the opening keynote address for the conference, which will be themed: “Crossing the global-local divide: Challenges for social work education and practice”. This congress will provide an opportunity for participants from various countries to discuss common issues in social work education, as well as to create urgent solutions to social needs that are emerging around the world.

The contents to be covered at the congress include:

• The relationship between developed and developing countries: Globalization, growth, inequality and poverty; the intersection of race, class and gender;
• Contextual Social Work: Developing social work training and practice activities appropriate to local conditions;
• General and specific issues: Social exclusion, human rights and social justice;
• Innovative pedagogical strategies: Enhance social work education, research, knowledge development, and practice (including practice training, e-learning, and interdisciplinary activities);
• Practice contexts: Family-centred, child and youth-centred practices; social work with older people; health as psychosocial development; intervention-based individual, group and community social work (including advocacy, social action at local, national and international levels); social security, social welfare and social development;
• Institutional context: state management, social governance and planning;
• Historical context: The impact of historical issues on contemporary social work training and practice (regional and national perspectives);
• Specific concerns: International exchange and cooperation on the development of social work training and practice; patriarchal systems, women and gender; preparing the limits for social workers in areas such as war, disease, poverty, epidemics.

For all information about the Congress and its results, please visit the website:http://www.iassw2008.co.za

• Tran Kham (synthetic)