The International Conference on Social Work and Social Policy opened this morning, June 11, 2012. The conference was jointly organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, San Jose State University, and the Asia-Pacific Association for Social Work Education (USA).Attending the workshop were Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang - former Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Professor Angelina Yuen - President of the International Association of Social Work Schools; Professor Yuhwa Eva Lu - President of the Asia Pacific Association of Social Work Education; Professor Alice Hines - Vice Dean of the School of Applied Sciences and Arts, San Jose State University; and more than 100 scientists from Vietnam, the United States, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, etc. In his opening remarks, Professor Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - affirmed the important role of social work in social and community development. In developing countries, social work is an important field throughout social life, established, managed, and operated as a professional occupation. In Vietnam, social work is still in the process of developing step by step towards professionalism. To achieve this, the social work sector needs support from the State and society. At the same time, Vietnamese social work needs to strengthen international integration, focusing on training a highly qualified and competent professional workforce. Professor Nguyen Van Khanh stated that the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has trained five cohorts of Bachelor of Social Work graduates with positive results and is the first institution to offer Master of Social Work programs. Annually, the University conducts numerous research programs and organizes many seminars on social work, actively expanding international cooperation to promote the development of this field of study. Professor Yuhwa Eva Lu, representing the Asia-Pacific Association for Social Work Education, expressed a desire to explore and build a database on social work in the Asia-Pacific region, promoting information exchange and communication between social work agencies, organizations, and professional associations in the United States and countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam.
Following the opening session, delegates will meet and discuss specific topics: social work with children and families; social work with people with disabilities and vulnerable groups; social work in community development; social service systems and social policies; social work training and research; social work and social policies… The workshop will take place over two days, June 11th and 12th, 2012.
