International Association of Schools of Social Work

The International Association of Schools of Social Work, IASSW, is the worldwide association of schools of social work, other tertiary level social work educational programs, and social work educators. The IASSW promotes the development of social work education throughout the world, develops standards to enhance quality of social work education, encourages international exchange, provides forums for sharing social work research and scholarship, and promotes human rights and social development through policy and advocacy activities

The IASSW was founded in 1928 at the First International Conference of Social Work, held in Paris. It initially comprised 51 schools, mostly in Europe, and was known as the International Committee. Revitalized after World War II, the organization expanded its membership to include a wider range of countries and was renamed the International Association of Schools of Social Work.

Membership in the IASSW comprises social work educational programs at the post-secondary or tertiary level and interested individuals, mostly social work educators. The association has member schools in all parts of the world. Five 5 regional organizations in Africa; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; Latin America; and North America and the Caribbean are affiliated with the IASSW. IASSW is governed by the Board of Directors under a Constitution approved by the biennial General Assembly. IASSW holds consultative status with the United Nations and participates as an NGO in UN activities in Geneva, Vienna and New York. Through its work at the UN and with other international organizations, IASSW represents social work education at the international level.

The mission statement adopted in 2000 commits the IASSW as the international organization to four major purposes:

1. to develop and promote worldwide excellence in social work education, research and scholarship in order to enhance human well-being;
2. to create and maintain a dynamic community of social work educators and their programs;
3. to support and facilitate participation in mutual exchanges of information and expertise;
4. to represent social work education at the international level.

The IASSW carries out its mission through:

• • Developing global standards;
• • Organizing of conferences for social work educators;
• • Organizing training programmes and curriculum consultationsreviews;
• • Publications and usage of social media;
• • Representation at the United Nations;
• • Activities of Committees and Task Forces ;
• • Funding of cross-national projects in social work education. etc.

According to the current IASSW Constitution, the organization is governed by the Board of Directors, made up of both elected and appointed members. Starting from 1928 the IASSW had 12 Presidents.

A list of IASSW Presidents:

• 1928/29-1946 Alice Salomon (Germany, than – USA)
• 1946-1953 René Sand (Belgium)
• 1954-1961 Jan Floris de Jongh (Netherlands)
• 1961-1968 Eileena Younghusband (United Kingdom)
• 1968-1976 Herman D. Stein (USA)
• 1976-1980 Robin Huws Jones (United Kingdom)
• 1980-1988 Heiner Schiller (Germany)
• 1988-1996 Ralph Garber (Canada)
• 1996-2004 Lena Dominelli (United Kingdom)
• 2004-2008 Abye Tasse (Ethiopia)
• 2008-2012 Angelina Yuen (Hong Kong)
• 2012-2016 Vimla Nadkarni (India)

See also

• Social work
• Professional Social Workers' Association

External links

• International Federation of Social Workers(IFSW)
• International Association of Schools of Social Work
• Australian Association of Social Workers (Australia)
• Professional Social Workers' Association (India)
• British Association of Social Workers (U.K.)
• National Association of Social Workers (U.S.)
• [1] Hellenic Association of Social Workers (Greece)