IASSW -IFSW

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IASSW -IFSWCC BY-NC-ND© Commission International Association of Schools of Social WorkInternational Federation of Social Workers- Interim Education
2020

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IASSW -IFSWTable Of Contents

Members of the Joint Taskforce

4

Preamble

5

Rationale

6

The School8

1. Core Mission, Aims and Objectives.

8

2. Resources and Facilities

9

3. Curriculum10

4. Core Curricula

11

Social Work In Context

11

Social Work in Practice

12

Practice Education (Placement)

13

5. Research and Scholarly activity

14

The People

15

1. Educators

15

2. Students

16

3. Service Users

17

The Profession

18

1. A shared understanding of the Profession

18

2. Ethics and Values

18

3. Equity and Diversity

19

4. Human rights and Social, Economic and Environmental Justice19

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Members of the Joint Taskforce
IASSW Global Standards Taskforce

Chair: Dixon Sookraj
Members:
Carmen Castillo (COSTA RICA):
Member, Latin American Rep.
Karene Nathaniel-DeCaires (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO):
Member, North American/Caribbean Rep.

Liu Meng (CHINA): Member, China National Rep.
Teresa Francesca Bertotti (ITALY): Member,
European Association Rep.
Alexandre Hakizamunga (RWANDA):
Member, African Association Rep.

IFSW Interim Education

Chair: Vasilios Ioakimidis
Members:
African Regional Commissioners: Lawrence
Mukuka and Zena Mnasi
Asia and Pacific Regional Commissioner:
Mariko Kimura
European Regional Commissioner: Nicolai Paulsen
Latin American and Caribbean Regional Commissioner:

Marinilda Rivera Díaz
North American Regional Commissioners: Dr.
Joan Davis-Whelan and Dr. Gary Bailey

Vimla Nadkarni (INDIA): Member, Past IASSW President

Emily Taylor (CANADA): Student Rep.
Ute Straub (GERMANY): IASSW Co-Chair & Board
Representative
Consultants:
Carol S. Cohen (USA): Commission on Group Work in
Social Work Education of the International
Association for Social Work with Groups, Co-Chair.
Shirley Gatenio Gabel (USA). Journal of Human
Rights and Social Work, Co-Editor
Varoshini Nadesan (SOUTH AFRICA). Associationof South African Social Work Education Institutions,
President.

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IASSW-IFSWPreamble
The International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federationof Social Workers (IFSW) have jointly updated the Global Standards for Social Work Education andTraining. The previous version of the Global Standards for Social Work Education and Training
document was adopted by the two organisations in Adelaide, Australia in 2004. Between 2004 and2019, that document served as an aspirational guide setting out the standards for excellence insocial work education.
With the adoption of a new Global Definition of Social Work in July 2014, and the publication of the
updated Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles in 2019, the Global Standards forSocial Work Education and Training document should be updated to integrate the changes in thesetwo documents and to reflect recent developments in global social work.
To this eﬀect, the two organisations created a joint task group comprising the IASSW’s Global
Standards Taskforce and IFSW Interim Global Education Commission. This task group engaged
with the global social work community through a rigorous consultation that lasted for over 18
months and included feedback from 125 countries represented by 5 Regional Associations andapproximately 400 Universities and Further Education Organisations. In addition, members of thejoint task force facilitated two international seminars involving service user representatives.
Therefore, we are confident that the present document has been the product of a dynamic andcollective process. It has also been the culmination of a rigorous exploration of epistemological,
political, ethical and cultural dilemmas.
The main objectives of the Global Standards are to:• Ensure consistency in the provision of social work education while appreciating and valuing
diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Ensure that Social Work education adheres to the values and policies of the profession as
articulated by the IASSW and IFSW.
• Support and safeguard staﬀ, students and service users involved in the education process.
• Ensure that the next generation of social workers have access to excellent quality learning,
opportunities that also incorporate social work knowledge deriving from research, experience,
policy and practice.
• Nurture a spirit of collaboration and knowledge transfer between diﬀerent social work schools
and between social work education, practice and research.
• Support social work schools to become thriving, well-resourced, inclusive and participatory
teaching and learning environments.
While appreciating the overarching objectives, we are also mindful of the fact that the educational
experience and policy framework in diﬀerent countries varies significantly. The Global Standards
aim at capturing both the universality of social work values and the diversity that characterises theprofession through the articulation of a set of standards that are divided between compulsory(those that all programmes must adhere to) and aspirational (those standards that Schools should
aspire to include when and where possible). The former represents foundational elements, which
are intended in part to promote consistency in social work education across the globe.
Professor Dixon Sookraj
Professor Vasilios Ioakimidis

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Rationale
We took the following realities of social work across the globe into account in developing thestandards:
1. Diversity of historic, socio-cultural, economic and political contexts in which social work ispracticed, both within countries and across the globe.
2. Diversity of practices according to: 1) practice setting (e.g. government, NGO, health, education,
child and family services agencies, correctional institutions, other community- basedorganizations and private practice settings); 2) field or area of practice (e.g. population served,
type of personal and social, economic, political and environmental issues addressed); and 3)
practice theories, methods, techniques and skills representing practice at diﬀerent levels –individual, couple/family, group, organization, community, broader societal and international(i.e., micro, mezzo and macro levels).

3. Diversity of structures and delivery methods of social work education. Social work education
varies in terms of its position within the structures of education institutions (e.g., units,
departments, schools, and faculties). Some social work education programs are aligned withother disciplines, such as economics and sociology, and some are part of broader professionalgroupings such as health or development. In addition, the level, attitudes toward, andintegration of distance education and online learning vary a great deal among programs.
4. Diversity of resources available to support social work education, including social work
educators and directors across the globe.
5. Diversity in levels of development of the social work profession across the globe. In many
countries, it is a well-established profession backed by legislation and accompanying regulatory
bodies and codes of ethics. A recognized baccalaureate social work degree is often theminimum educational requirement for professional practice. These mechanisms serve in part toprotect the use of the title of ‘social worker’, define the scope of practice (what social workers
can or cannot do in practice), ensure that practitioners maintain competence and protect the
public from harm by social workers. In other countries social work takes diﬀerent forms. Social
work educational programs may be added to existing curriculum oﬀerings rather than standing
as separate academic units. They may range from individual course oﬀerings, to one-year
certificate programs, to two-year diploma programs. The curriculum standards presented in thisdocument apply primarily to social work degree programs. Shorter certificate and degree
programs may use the standards, but they may not be able to incorporate all the standards.
6. The adverse eﬀects of colonization and educational imperialism on the development of social workin the Global South. We believe and stand firm that the theoretical perspectives and practicemethods, techniques and skills developed in the Global North should not be transported to the
Global South without critical examinations of their suitability and potential eﬀectiveness for the
local contexts.

7. The growing number of common issues and challenges aﬀecting social work education andpractice across the globe. These include growing inequalities produced by neoliberal
globalization, climate change, human and natural disasters, economic and political corruption
and conflicts.
8. Many new developments and innovations, especially those relating to sustainable
development, climate change and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, are occurring in the
Global South. Thus, connecting the global and the local within the curriculum would strengthen
the academic preparation of social workers everywhere; it will facilitate
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assessments for transferability of social work education across jurisdictions, includinginternational borders; it will also help strengthen students’ professional identities as membersof a global profession.
9. Finally, curriculum specializations’ contribution to fragmentation in education and practice.
Regardless of the area of specialization delivered in the curriculum, the program should
prepare students to understand the interconnectedness of practice at all levels – individual,family, group, organization, community, etc. (i.e., micro, mezzo, macro). This broader
understanding will help students to become critical, ethical and competent practitioners.
This version of the Global Standards is organised around three overarching domains that capture
the distinct, yet intertwined, elements of Social Work education: The School, The People and The
Profession

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IASSW-IFSWThe School
Social Work education has historically been delivered by a wide anddiverse range of organisations, including Universities, Colleges, Tertiary,
Further and Higher Education bodies- public, private and non-profit.
Notwithstanding the diversity of education delivery modalities,
organisational and financial structures, there is an expectation that social
work schools and programmes are formally recognised by theappropriate education authorities and/or regulators in each country.
Social Work education is a complex and demanding activity that requires
access to adequate resources, educators, transparent strategies and upto-date curricula.

1. Core Mission, Aims and Objectives.
All Social Work Programmes must develop and share a core purpose statement or a mission
statement that:a. Is clearly articulated, accessible and reflects the values and the ethical principles of social
work.
b. Is consistent with the global definition and purpose of social workc. Respects the rights and interests of the people involved in all aspects of delivery of
programmes and services (including the students, educators and service users).
Where possible, schools should aspire to:d. Articulate the broad strategies for contribution to the advancement of the Social Workprofession and the empowerment of communities within which a school strives to operate(locally, nationally and internationally).
In respect of programme objectives and expected outcomes, schools must be able todemonstrate how it has met the following requirements:e. Specification of its programme objectives and expected higher education outcomes.
f.

Identification of its programme’s instructional methods that support the achievement of thecognitive and aﬀective development of social work students.

g. A curriculum that reflects the core knowledge, processes, values and skills of the social
work profession, as applied in context-specific realities.
h. Social Work students who attain an initial level of proficiency with regard to self-reflective
use of social work values, knowledge and skills.
i.

Curriculum design that takes into account of the impact of interacting cultural, political,
economic, communication, health, psychosocial and environmental global factors.

j.

The programme meets the requirements of nationally and/or regionally/internationallydefined professional goals

k. The programme addresses local, national and/or regional/international developmental
needs and priorities.
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The provision of an education preparation that is relevant to beginning social work practiceinterventions with individuals, families, groups and/or communities (functional andgeographic) adaptable to a wide range of contexts.

m. The use of social work methods that are based on sound evidence regarding theeﬀectiveness of interventions whenever possible, and always promote dignity and respect.
n. Governance, administrative supports, physical structure and related resources that are
adequate to deliver the program.
o. The conferring of a distinctive social work qualification at the certificate, diploma, first
degree or post-graduate level, as approved by national and/or regional qualification
authorities, where such authorities exist.
In order to further enrich their mission and objectives, schools should aspire to:p. External peer evaluation of the programme as far as is reasonable and financially viable.
This may include external peer moderation of assignments and/or written examinations anddissertations, and external peer review and assessment of curricula.
q. Self-evaluation by the education programme constituents to assess the extent to which its
programme objectives and expected outcomes are being achieved.

2. Resources and Facilities
With regard to structure, administration, governance and resources, the school and/or
body designated as the education provider must ensure the following:a. Social work programmes are independent of other disciplines and should therefore be
implemented through a distinct unit known as a Faculty, School, Department, Centre or
Division, which has a clear identity within education institutions.
b. The school has a designated Head or Director1 who has demonstrated administrative,
scholarly and professional competence, preferably in the profession of social work.
c. The Head or Director has primary responsibility for the co-ordination and professional
leadership of the school, with suﬃcient time and resources to fulfil these responsibilities.
d. The social work programme’s budgetary allocation is suﬃcient to achieve its core purposeor mission and the programme objectives.
e. The budgetary allocation is stable enough to ensure programme planning and delivery in asustainable way.
f. The necessary clerical and administrative staﬀ, as well as educators, is made available forthe achievement of the programme objectives. These staﬀ members are provided withreasonable amounts of autonomy and opportunity to contribute programme development,
implementation, and evaluation.
g. Irrespective of the mode of teaching (in the classroom, distance, mixed-mode, decentralised
and/or internet-based education) there is the provision of adequate infrastructure, includingclassroom space, computers, texts, audio-visual equipment, community resources forpractice education, and on-site instruction and supervision to

1 Depending on the setting, other titles may be used to signify administrative leadership.

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facilitate the achievement of its core purpose or mission, programme objectives andexpected outcomes.
h. Internet-based education should not fully substitute spaces for face-to-face instruction,practice learning and dialogue. Face-to-face spaces are critical for a well rounded social
work education and therefore irreplaceable.
Social Work courses tend to be administratively complex and resource-demanding due to thesynthesis of the theoretical, research and practice-based elements, including relational training andservice user interaction. Therefore, Schools could aspire to achieve the following:i.

Suﬃcient physical facilities, including classroom space, oﬃces for the educators and theadministrative staﬀ and space for student, faculty and field- liaison meetings.

j.

Adequate equipment necessary for the achievement of the school’s core purpose or
mission and the programme objectives.

k. High quality of the education programme whatever the mode of delivery. In the case of
distance, mixed-mode, decentralised and/or internet-based teaching, mechanisms for
locally based instruction and supervision should be put in place, especially with regard to
the practice component of the programme.
l.

Well-resourced on-site and online libraries, knowledge and research environment, and,
where possible, internet resources, all necessary to achieve the programme objectives.

m. Access to international libraries, international roaming services (e.g., EduRoam), e-journals
and databases.

3. CurriculumWith regard to standards regarding programme curricula, schools must consistently ensure thefollowing:a. The curricula and methods of instruction are consistent with the school’s programme
objectives, its expected outcomes and its mission statement.
b. Clear mechanisms for the organisation’s implementation and evaluation of the theory andfield education components of the programme exist.
c. Specific attention to undertaking constant review and development of the curricula.
d. Clear guidelines for ethical use of technology in practice, curriculum delivery, distance/
blended learning, big data analysis and engagement with social media
Schools should always aspire to develop curricula that:e. Help social work students to develop skills of critical thinking and scholarly attitudesof reasoning, openness to new experiences and paradigms and commitment tolifelong learning.

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Are suﬃcient in duration2 and learning opportunities to ensure that students areprepared for professional practice. Students and educators are given suﬃcient space
and time to adhere to the minimum standards described herein.

g. Reflect the needs, values and cultures of the relevant populations.
h. Are based on human rights principles and the pursuit of justice.

4. Core Curricula
Social work education programs vary by economic and political contexts, practice settings,
population served, type of personal and social, economic, political, or environmental issues
addressed, and practice theories and approaches used. Nevertheless, there are certain corecurricula that are universally applicable.
Thus, the school must ensure that social work students, by the end of their first Social Workprofessional qualification3, have had suﬃcient/required and relevant exposure to the following corecurricula which are organised into the following broad conceptual components:a) Social Work in Context: refers to the broader knowledge that is required in order to criticallyunderstand the political, socio-legal, cultural and historical forces that have shaped social work.
b) Social Work in Practice: refers to a broader set of skills and knowledge required to designand deliver eﬀective, ethical and competent interventions.
The above two conceptual components are interdependent, dynamic and should be consideredsimultaneously.

Social Work In Context
In relation to Social Work in Context, education programmes must include the following:
1. Critical understanding of how socio-structural inadequacies, discrimination, oppression, andsocial, political, environmental and economic injustices impact human development at alllevels, including the global must be considered.
2. Knowledge of how traditions, culture, beliefs, religions and customs influence humandevelopment across the lifespan, including how these might constitute resources and/or
obstacles to growth.
3. Knowledge of theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous
knowledges
4. Critical understanding of social work’s origins and purposes.
5. Critical understanding of historical injustices aﬀecting service user communities and therole of social workers in addressing those.
6. Suﬃcient knowledge of related occupations and professions to facilitate interprofessional
collaboration and teamwork.
2 In many contexts, a first professional qualification (or baccalaureate degree in social work) is completed in within three or four

years of full-time studies, although the amount of non-social work course contents included may vary.
3 See description above

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7. Knowledge of social welfare policies (or lack thereof), services and laws at local, national
and/or regional/international levels
8. Understanding of the roles of social work in policy planning, implementation, evaluation andin social change processes.
9. Knowledge of - human rights, social movements and their interconnectedness with class,gender and ethnic/race-related issues.
10. Knowledge of relevant international treaties, laws and regulations, and global standards
such as the Social Development Goals.
11. Critical understanding of the impact of environmental degradation on the well-being of ourcommunities and the promotion of Environmental Justice.
12. A focus on gender equity
13. An understanding of structural causes and impact of gender-based violence
14. An emphasis on structural issues aﬀecting marginalised, vulnerable and minority populations.
15. The assumption, identification and recognition of strengths and potential of all human beings.

16. Social Work contribution to promoting sustainable peace and justice in communities
aﬀected by political/ethnic conflict and violence.

Social Work in PracticeIn relation to Social Work In Practice, education programmes must prepare students to:
1. Apply knowledge of human behaviour and development across the lifespan.
2. Understand how social determinants impact on people’s health and wellbeing (mental,
physical, emotional and spiritual).
3. Promote healthy, cohesive, non-oppressive relationships among people and between
people and organisations at all levels – individuals, families, groups, programs,
organizations, communities.
4. Facilitate and advocate for the inclusion of diﬀerent voices, especially those of groups thathave experienced marginalisation and exclusion.
5. Understand the relationship between personal life experiences and personal value systems
and social work practice.
6. Integrate theory, ethics, research/knowledge in practice.
7. Have suﬃcient practice skills in assessment, relationship building, empowerment andhelping processes to achieve the identified goals of the programme and fulfil professional
obligations to service users. The programme may prepare practitioners to serve purposes,
including providing social support, and engaging in developmental, protective, preventive
and/or therapeutic intervention – depending on the particular focus of the programme orprofessional practice orientation.

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8. Apply social work intervention that is informed by principles, knowledge and skills aimed atpromoting human development and the potentialities of all people
9. Engage in critical analysis of how social policies and programmes promote or violate humanrights and justice
10. Use peace building, non-violent activism and human rights-based advocacy as intervention
methods.
11. Use problem-solving and strengths-based approaches.
12. Develop as critically self-reflective practitioners.
13. Apply national, regional and/or international social work codes of ethics and theirapplicability to context-specific realities
14. Ability to address and collaborate with others regarding the complexities, subtleties, multidimensional, ethical, legal and dialogical aspects of power.

Practice Education (Placement)4Practice education is a critical component of professional social work education. Thus practiceeducation should be well integrated into the curriculum in preparing students with knowledge,
values and skills for ethical, competent and eﬀective practice.
Practice education must be suﬃcient in duration and complexity of tasks and learning opportunities
to ensure that students are prepared for professional practice. Therefore, schools should also
ensure:a. A well-developed and comprehensive practice education manual that details its practiceplacement standards, procedures, assessment standards/criteria and expectations should
be made available to students, field placement supervisors and field placement instructors.
b. Clear and transparent policies and procedures or guidelines for:1) selection of practice placement sites;
2) matching students with placement sites;
3) placement of students;
4) supervision of students;5) coordination of with the program;6) supporting students and the field instructors;7) monitoring student progress and evaluating student performance in the field; and8) evaluating the performance of the practice education setting.
c. Appointment of practice supervisors or instructors who are qualified and experienced, as
determined by the development status of the social work profession in any given country,
and provision of orientation for practice supervisors or instructors.
d. Provision of orientation and ongoing supports, including training and education to practicesupervisors.

4 The terms “field education” and “field instruction” are also commonly used.

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e. Ensuring that adequate and appropriate resources, to meet the needs of the practicecomponent of the programme, are made available.
f.

Policies for the inclusion of marginalized populations, and reasonable accommodation andadjustment for people with disabilities and special needs.

g. The practice education component provides ongoing, timely and developmental feedback
to students.
Schools also should aspire to:h. Create practice placement opportunities that correspond to at least 25% of the overall
education activity within the courses (counted in either credits, days, or hours).
i.

Nurture valuable partnerships between the education institution and the agency (whereapplicable) and service users in decision-making regarding practice education and theevaluation of student’s performance.

j.

If the programme engages in international placements, additional standards, guidelines andsupport should be provided to both students placed abroad and agencies in the receiving
end. In addition the programme should have mechanisms to facilitate reciprocity, colearning genuine knowledge exchange.

5. Research and Scholarly activity
As an academic discipline, social work is underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences,humanities and indigenous knowledges. Social work knowledge and scholarship are generated
through a diverse range of sources, including education providers, research organisations,
independent researchers, local communities, social work organisations, practitioners and service
users.
All education providers should aspire to make a contribution to the development, criticalunderstanding and generation of social work scholarship. This can be achieved, when and where
possible, through the incorporation of research and scholarship strategies, including:a. An emphasis on the process of knowledge production in social work, by explaining diﬀerent
methodological approaches within the discipline and how these have evolved.
b. An appreciation of the rigorous and diverse methods used by social workers in order toappraise the credibility, transferability, confirmability reliability and validity of information.
c. Teaching that is informed by current, valid and reliable evidence.
d. Provision of opportunities for students to critically appraise research findings and acquire
research skills.
e. Involvement of students in research activities.
f.

Support students to acquire and develop programme/practice evaluation skills, including
partnering with them in such work.

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IASSW-IFSWThe People
Social Work programmes comprise a dynamic intellectual, social andmaterial community. This community brings together students,
educators, administrators and service users united in their eﬀort toenhance opportunities for learning, professional and personal
development.

1. Educators
With regard to social work educators5 , schools and programmes must ensure:a. The provision of educators, adequate in number and range of expertise, who haveappropriate qualifications, including practice and research experience within the field of
Social Work; all determined by the development status of the social work profession in any
given country.
b. Educator representation and inclusion in decision-making processes of the school orprogramme related to the development of the programme’s core purpose or mission, in theformulation of the objectives, curriculum design and expected outcomes of the programme.
c. A clear statement of its equity-based policies or preferences, with regard to considerationsof gender, ethnicity, ‘race’ or any other form of diversity in its recruitment and appointmentof members of staﬀ.
d. Policies regarding the recruitment, appointment and promotion of staﬀ are clearly
articulated and transparent and are in keeping with other schools or programs within the
education institution.
e. Policies that are in-line with national labour legislation and also take into consideration
International Labour Organisation guidelines.
f.

Educators benefit from a cooperative, supportive and productive working environment tofacilitate the achievement of programme objectives.

g. Institutional policies regarding promotion, tenure, discipline and termination are transparent
and clear. Mechanisms for appeal and decision review should be in place.
h. Teaching and other relevant workload are distributed equitably and transparently. Variations
in workload distribution in terms of teaching, scholarship (including research) and service
are inevitable. However, workload allocation should be based on principles such as equity
and respect for educators’ diverse skills, expertise and talents.
i.

When there are diﬀerences and conflicts, transparent and fair mechanisms are in place toaddress them.

All Schools should also aspire to:

5 Diﬀerent terminologies are used to represent and or describe the people providing the education (ie academics, faculty, instructors,

pedagogues, teachers, tutors, lecturers etc.). For the purposes of this document we have adopted the term “Social Work Educators” torepresent these diverse terminologies.
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j.

Provide a balanced allocation of teaching, practice placement instruction, supervision andadministrative workloads, ensuring that there is space for engagement with all forms ofscholarship including creative work and research.
k. With regards to educators involvement, a minimum of a Master’s level qualification in social
work is preferred.
l.

Staﬀ reflect the ethics, values and principles of the social work profession in their work onbehalf and with students and communities.

m. The school, when possible, nurtures interdisciplinary approaches. To this eﬀect, the School,
strives to engage educators from relevant disciplines such as sociology, history,
economics, statistics etc.
n. At least 50% of educators should have a social work qualification, and social work modules
or courses should be taught by educators with a Master of Social work qualification, in linewith the status of the profession in each country.
o. The School has provisions for the continuing professional development of its educators.

2. Students
In respect of social work students, Schools must ensure:a. Clear articulation of its admission criteria and procedures. When possible, practitioners andservice users should be involved in the relevant processes.
b. Non-discrimination against any student on the basis of race, colour, culture, ethnicity,
linguistic origin, religion, political orientation, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status,
functional status, and socio-economic status.
c. Explicit criteria for the evaluation of practice educationd. Grievance and appeals procedures which are accessible, clearly explained to all students
and operated without prejudice to the assessment of students.
e. All information regarding, assessment, course aims and structure, learning outcomes, classattendance, examination rules, appeals procedures and student support services should beclearly articulated and provided to the students in the form of a handbook (printed orelectronic) at the beginning of each academic year.
f.

Ensure that social work students are provided with opportunities to develop self- awarenessregarding their personal and cultural values, beliefs, traditions and biases and how thesemight influence the ability to develop relationships with people and to work with diverse
population groups.

g. Provide information about the kinds of support available to students, including academic,
financial, employment and personal assistanceh. Students should be clear about what constitutes misconduct, including academic,harassment and discrimination, policies and procedures in place to address these.
All Schools should also aspire to:i.

Comprehensive retention policies that prioritise student well-being.

j.

Positive action should be taken to ensure the inclusion of minority groups that areunderrepresented and/or under-served.
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k. Democratic and sustained representation of students in decision-making committees
and fora.

3. Service Users6
With regards to service user involvement Schools must:a. Incorporate the rights, views and interests of Service Users and broader communities
served in its operations, including curriculum development, implementation and delivery.
b.
c. Develop a proactive strategy towards facilitating Service User involvement in all aspects
of design, planning and delivery of study programmes.
d.
e. Ensure reasonable adjustments are made in order to support the involvement of Service
Users.
Also aspire to:f.

Create opportunities for the personal and professional development of Service
Users involved in the study programme.

6 Depending on the context, other terms, including clients and community constituents are used instead of service users.

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IASSW-IFSWThe Profession
Social Work Schools are members of a global professional andacademic community. As such, they must be able to contribute to andbenefit from the growth of scholarly, practice and policy development at
a national and global level. Nurturing, expanding and formalising links
with the national and international representative bodies of the social
work profession is of paramount importance.

1. A shared understanding of the Profession
Schools must ensure the following:a. Definitions of social work used in the context of the education process should be congruent
with the Global Definition of Social Work as approved by IASSW and IFSW including any
regional applications that may exist.
b. Schools retain close and formal relationships with representatives and key stakeholders of
the social work profession, including regulators and national and regional associations ofsocial work practice and education.
c. Registration of professional staﬀ and social work students (insofar as social work students
develop working relationships with people via practice placements) with national and/or
regional regulatory (whether statutory or non-statutory) bodies.
d. All stakeholders involved in social work education should actively seek to contribute to andbenefit from the global social work community in a spirit of partnership and international
solidarity.
Schools should also aspire to:
e. monitor students’ employability rates and encourage them to actively participate in thenational and global social work community.

2. Ethics and Values
In view of the recognition that social work values, ethics and principles are the core componentsof the profession, Schools must consistently ensure:a. Adhered to the Global Ethics Statement approved by the IASSW and IFSW.
b. Adherence to the National and Regional Codes of Ethics.
c. Adherence to the Global Definition of Social Work as approved by the IASSW and IFSW.

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d. Clear articulation of objectives with regard to social work values, principles and ethicalconduct. Ensuring that every social work student involved in practice education, and every
academic staﬀ member, is aware of the boundaries of professional practice and what might
constitute unprofessional conduct in terms of the code of ethics.
e. Taking appropriate, reasonable and proportionate action in relation to those social work
students and academic staﬀ who fail to comply with the code of ethics, either through anestablished regulatory social work body, established procedures of the educational
institution, and/or through legal mechanisms.
Schools should also aspire towards:f.

Upholding, as far as is reasonable and possible, the principles of restorative rather thanretributive justice in disciplining either social work students or academic staﬀ who violate thecode of ethics.

3. Equity and Diversity
With regard to equity and diversity Schools must:
a. Make concerted and continuous eﬀorts to ensure the enrichment of the educational
experience by reflecting cultural, ethnic and other forms of diversity in its programme andrelevant populations.
b. Ensure that educators, students and service users are provided with equal opportunities tolearn and develop regardless of gender,socioeconomicc background, race, ethnicity,religion, sexual orientation and other forms of diversity.
c. Ensure that the programme has clearly articulated learning objectives in upholding theprinciples of respect for cultural and ethnic diversity, gender equity, human rights.
d. Address and challenge racist, homophobic, sexist and other discriminatory behaviours,
policies and structures.
Schools should also aspire towards:
e. Recognition and development of indigenous or locally specific social work education andpractice from the traditions and cultures of diﬀerent ethnic groups and societies, insofar thatsuch traditions and cultures are congruent with our ethical codes and human rights
commitments.

4. Human rights and Social, Economic andEnvironmental JusticeSocial, Economic and Environmental Justice are fundamental pillars underpinning social
work theory, policy and practice. All Schools must:a. Prepare students to be able to apply human rights principles (as articulated in the International
Bill of Rights and core international human rights treaties) to frame their understanding of how
current social issues aﬀect social, economic and environmental justice.

b. Ensure that their students understand the importance of social, economic, political andenvironmental justice and develop relevant intervention knowledge and skills.

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c. Contribute to collective eﬀorts within and beyond school structures in order toachieve social, economic and environmental justice.

They should also aspire to:d. Identifying opportunities for supporting development at grass roots level and community
participatory action to meet the aspirations of the Social Development Goals.
e. Making use of opportunities to exchange knowledge, expertise and ideas with global
peers to support the advancement of social work education free from colonial influences.
f.

Creating platforms for Indigenous social workers to shape curricula and relevant courses.

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