Welcome : Janet Carter Anand & Chaitali Das
Opening Address: Professor Annamaria Campanini, President, International Association of Schools of Social Work
Professor Yip Kan, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China Regional Resource Center
More Baltic Nordic Regional Recourse Centre, Janet Carter Anand
Introductions, Slide Presentations & Discussion (contributions from all members)
Introduction: Chaitali Das
Breaking into small groups sessions
The network focus
Future projects
Ideas for partnership
Next meeting
Summary: Chaitali Das
– The Nordic Baltic Regional Resource Centre represents a new and exciting network of university based schools of social work and educators across Nordic and Baltic countries such as Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden.
– There are similar regional centres funded by the International Association of Schools of Social Work RRCs in other regions of the world such as China and Oceania. Our network of university partners is committed to exchange and communication across participating countries for the promotion of global social work education (including fieldwork) and the recognition of best examples of innovative and transformative social work research and practice.
– We seek to create new opportunities for active partnership in teaching and research on the contemporary issues such as sustainability, diversity, inequality, migration and promote the regional professional profile of social work education and research. The centre is coordinated by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Germany and University of Eastern Finland, Finland, higher education institutions with a longstanding commitment to global social work education and scholarship. The current coordinators of this centre are Professors Chaitali Das, (FUAS), Janet Carter Anand (UEF).
The regional resource centre is seeking wide representation from universities and practitioners from the north eastern European region during the initial stage for establishing the center. Invitations have been sent to existing FUAS and UEF partners, national and regional social work associations and existing social work education and research networks. We are looking for enthusiastic academics who have a vision for promoting social work.
Development of Regional Priorities
NBRRC will reflect regional priorities across Nordic and Baltic countries for promoting transformative approaches in social work education, research and theory development. Examples include:
– legal, political, economic, social and cultural rights
– promoting the dignity and worth of indigenous and marginalised peoples
– working toward environmental sustainability across borders
– strengthening recognition of the importance of human relationships
Pedagogical issues in social work education
Environmental and sustainability issues and how they impact social work education and practice
Participatory practices and action research
New and emerging practices (e.g. technology, disaster management, transnational social work)
Diversity issues (inclusion, integration)
Teaching
Research
Publications
Method-based exchanges
Multiple projects and multiple partners
– What kinds of projects and topics interest us the most, and our potential partners?
– How can we generate more student and stakeholder involvement?
– How can we use the centre and website as a means of communicating our activities, current issues, and interests?