Collaboration and reciprocity in international social work student exchange: a critical review

Internationalisation has been the subject of significant debate in social work education for at least two decades, with increasing importance placed on enhancing student learning and competence in the intercultural dimensions of social work practice. In Australia this has been partly achieved through the development of international student exchanges and international field placements. The ways in which these exchanges take place potentially raise significant issues for the social work profession and social work educators. For example, many of the international exchange programs discussed in the social work literature are identified as unidirectional initiatives from the Global North, and the lack of reciprocity and collaboration embedded in the programs has been highlighted as potentially reinforcing the colonial assumptions of Western superiority and perpetuating professional imperialism. This presentation will draw from the initial data and literature relevant to a major research project, recently funded by the Australian Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT), which aims to document and analyse the current international student exchange practices of Australian social work education providers and to develop and disseminate exemplary practices for such exchanges. A key component of the research and the focus of this presentation will be a critical analysis of the concepts of collaboration, reciprocity and mutual benefit in international social work student exchange programs