The International Journal Social Work Education has launched a call for a special issue on The Global Standards for Social Work Education and Training: Implementation Progress, Successes and Future Directions, edited by Prof Antoinette Lombard, President, International Association of Schools of Social Work; Prof Wing Hong Chui; and Prof Varoshini Nadesan.
Adopted in 2020 and jointly developed with IFSW and global partners, the Global Standards provide a shared framework to strengthen social work education while remaining responsive to local contexts. Since their adoption, and with the launch of the Global Standards e learning platform in 2023, implementation has expanded worldwide. This special issue responds to a rapidly changing landscape shaped by post pandemic realities, environmental justice, digital pedagogy and efforts to decolonise curricula.
Education standards underpin professional identity, ethical practice and the quality of services delivered to communities. The special issue offers a space to critically reflect on how the Global Standards are being applied, what has been learned across regions and how they can evolve to meet emerging global challenges.
Abstracts of up to 200 words are invited from educators, researchers and practitioners. Key themes include pedagogical innovation, accreditation and benchmarking, digital learning, decolonising curricula, environmental justice and ethical issues in transnational education. Abstracts are due by 30 January 2026, with publication planned for October 2027.
IFSW warmly encourages contributions from across its membership to help shape the future of global social work education.