Comparative analysis of international social work and related subjects in eight Asian countries

This international study examined the state and context of international social work (ISW) education while encouraging its mutual development. For this purpose, it focused on ISW-related subjects in eight Asian countries that responded to the call for research proposals: the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Mongolia. A total of nine teams conducted qualitative surveys of ISW-related subjects in their respective countries, after which a qualitative content analysis was carried out on the titles, contents and challenges. Regarding the contents, six themes were generated: (1) Definition and discourse; (2) Underlying concepts and theories; (3) Practice approaches and strategies; (4) Actors; (5) Contexts and (6) Key fields. As for the challenges, they were grouped into eight themes: (1) Ambiguity and gaps in the understanding of ISW; (2) Quality of courses and subjects; (3) Lack of ISW literature; (4) Lack of indigenous documentation and practice; (5) Lack of international networks and experiences; (6) Gaps in student expectations; (7) Language barriers and (8) Multiple factors. Meanwhile, during the survey period, a few institutions developed and introduced new ISW-related subjects. Overall, this study revealed the significance of collaborative exploration to redevelop ISW-related subjects in non-Western contexts.