A four-year student exchange project took place between Canadian and EU universities that engaged in a reciprocal agreement between social work students, social service agencies and universities. Sixty-four students completed their practicum through this program. The article gives an account of the students' learning experiences and their evaluation of this Downloaded from 246 International Social Work 55 (2) program. It concludes with a discussion of their learning experiences in cross-cultural exchanges and future recommendations for enhancing international social work field exchanges.

No abstract

A growing movement of social work educators and practitioners worldwide is involved in democratizing activities through cross-national alliances. Through reflection on two experiences of cross-national collaborations in Ghana and Nicaragua, this article identifies elements for effective international collaboration that encourage a shift in perspective.

Social work emerged in the western world, particularly in the USA and the United Kingdom, at the turn of the twentieth century. Western social welfare systems were introduced to other countries through the colonial empires of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and social work training reflected these systems. However, many of these countries have revised their curricula to make them more culturally appropriate while others are still in this process. This article highlights issues concerning social work education and training in Ghana, West Africa through a Participatory Action Research project. Themes emerging concerning the present curriculum, the professional association and social work in Ghana are presented. Action plans instigated from this project are described, ending with a future challenge for social work in Africa.

The Syrian conflict and war has contributed to the largest refugee crisis in recent history. Many refugees are seeking protection and safety for their family. This article discusses the context of the Syrian refugee crisis and how a group of social work faculty members are responding by supporting the resettlement of a Syrian refugee family in Canada. Private sponsorship options, grassroots activities, and the role of social work in resettlement are discussed. This article concludes with a call to action for social workers to strengthen their support and involvement in the resettlement of refugees.