The Future of Social Work: Exploring Students’ Perspectives on the Evolution of the Field
28th – 29th of May 2025
Hello enthusiastic students!
We are happy to announce our department’s upcoming Student Conference and excited to invite you to one of the most important educational events: The Future of Social Work: Exploring Students’ Perspectives on the Evolution of the Field. As future social workers, students from the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that can help shape the future of this profession. Whether you are a social work student, a future practitioner in the social sciences, or simply passionate about the field, this conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with new ideas and perspectives in social work. Through presentations and workshops, you will have the chance to develop your communication skills-essential for social workers-as well as the ability to present and defend your own ideas. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow, learn more about yourself, and discover how you can make a difference.
Recommended Topics:
Starting from Michael Lavalette’s (2019) question „What is the future of social work?”[1] we recognize that social workers are forced to constantly adapt to changes in society and to face different challenges in their work. With this in mind, we invite papers on topics such as:
- migration
- climate change
- children’s/human rights
- conflicts (ex.: Palestine, Ukraine, etc.)/humanitarian aid
- health crisis
- LGBTQIA+ studies
- socio-economic deprivation
- addictions and digital challenges
- intersectionality/discrimination
- resilience/coping mechanisms
- gerontology/aging population
- technology and social work intervention
- mental health in crisis
- cultural competence in crisis intervention
- youth empowerment
- acculturation in contemporary society
- theories of social work in crisis
- connecting social work research with practice
- participatory approaches in social sciences
- deviance, justice, and criminality
The aim of the conference:
The aim of „The Future of Social Work: Exploring Students’ Perspectives on the Evolution of the Field” conference is to bring to the forefront the perspectives of young student researchers in social work, exploring themes related to new challenges in the social policy sphere and the future of social work practice. Important dates and format:
- Deadline for sending the abstracts: 01.05.2025.
- Notification of acceptance: 08.05.2025.
The conference will take place onsite only. There is no charge for attending/presenting at the conference. The organizers will provide daily light refreshments and offer accommodation for a duration of two nights during the conference for accepted participants.
Conference VENUE: Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, 21 Decembrie 1989 Street, no. 128-130; Cluj-Napoca, Romania
CERTIFICATES OF ATTENDANCE: Certificates of attendance will be offered at the end of the conference for students who have presentations.
Targeted participants
- bachelor’s degree
- master’s degree
Language:
- English
- Romanian
Submission Guidelines
When writing an abstract, you should focus on:
- What your research is about
- What methods and procedures have been used
- What are the research findings/results
The length of the abstract must not exceed 250-300 words.
Ensure that the abstract is self-contained, without abbreviations, footnotes, or incomplete references. Include keywords throughout, but make sure the writing still flows naturally.
You should also avoid including any images, background information or technical terms that may not be understood without further explanation.
The abstract should be submitted to this email address: young.socialworkers24@gmail.com
Contact Information:
