Student exchange: Preparing graduates for social work practice in globalised environments

Social work in a globalised environment requires preparing social work graduates with intercultural skills, respect for alternative worldviews and a commitment to the coproduction of intellectual knowledge and theory informing social work practice. Incorporating a student exchange program as part of social work degrees enables students to gain exposure to social work practice in alternative contexts. Such programs have been found to contribute to developing student confidence, intercultural awareness and international employability (Bell & Anscombe, 2013; Bohman & Borglin, 2014; Choi, Slaugbaugh & Kim, 2012: Van Hoff & Verbeeten, 2005)