Challenges of Social Work Education in Vietnam: The voice of social work students Tran Van Kham, PhD University of Social Sciences and Humanities-Hanoi, Vietnam Email: khamtv@ussh.edu.vn Vietnam Social Work Education 50 universities/colleges 2014 2010: Action plan to develop social work professionally 2004: BA program approved Project number 32 • • • • 2,340 billion VND 60,000 social workers by 2020 need training 35,000 staff need professional education Focused groups: older, disabled people, orphan children, drug abused, etc Questions • • • • How students assess the structure of program? The rationality of structure in different layers? How students assess the learning materials for social work education? The quality of lecturers and social work staff? What are difficulties on doing fieldwork? What is student’s voice on prospects of Vietnam social work education? Findings • Program structure: – Positive feedbacks on Professional Courses • Learning materials: – Positive feedbacks – Negative feedbacks on Skill Trainings • Staff/Lecturers – Well knowledge-based – Less skill-prepared Findings • Prospects of professional social work – Will be developed if it is changes in program and staff/lecturers/ support mechanism – • Required changes on social awareness on social work as profession Long term commitment to social work – Both those graduate and undergraduate students Discussions • Opportunities • Challenges: – Collaboration – Training – Social awareness of this professional job, – learning materials, – practicum places, – staff and skills on supervisions – the teaching staff on social work Conclusion • • • • Continuing the tasks of increasing social awareness on social work, and its application, roles on practice Reviewing and updating the program at all levels For academic institutions: to make the close collaboration with regional and international ones For staff in institutions: Upgrading the knowledge, skills and professions on social work Thank you Tran Van Kham Vietnam National University-Hanoi, Founder of Vietnam Social Work Network’s website at http://socialwork.vn Email: khamtv@ussh.edu.vn ... the structure of program? The rationality of structure in different layers? How students assess the learning materials for social work education? The quality of lecturers and social work staff?... difficulties on doing fieldwork? What is student’s voice on prospects of Vietnam social work education? Findings • Program structure: – Positive feedbacks on Professional Courses • Learning materials:... and international ones For staff in institutions: Upgrading the knowledge, skills and professions on social work Thank you Tran Van Kham Vietnam National University-Hanoi, Founder of Vietnam Social