Current edition

The 2025 ISUSW will be held at Shandong University, Jinan Campus from July 7th (Monday) to July 18th (Friday).

The Host University

Shandong University (SDU) is one of the oldest universities in China, founded in 1901. As a member of China's prestigious Double First-Class University Plan, it is consistently ranked among China's top universities. Located in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province - a region renowned for its rich philosophical heritage as the homeland of Confucius and its significant role in Chinese civilization - SDU is a comprehensive university with particular strengths in social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary studies.

The School of Philosophy and Social Development at Shandong University has a strong tradition in social work education and research. The social work program, emphasizing both theoretical foundation and practical training, has developed extensive international partnerships and is known for its integration of Chinese cultural perspectives with global social work standards and practices. This unique positioning, at the intersection of ancient wisdom and contemporary social work, offers our participants from ISUSW partner universities an opportunity to explore interdisciplinary approaches within a culturally rich, globally connected context.

Theme: "Inter-disciplinarity and Social Work"

Contemporary global challenges demand increasingly sophisticated and integrated responses from social work, both as a profession and as a discipline. Climate change, sustainability crises, technological disruption, demographic shifts, rising inequalities, and geopolitical tensions are creating complex social problems that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. These challenges require solutions that draw from multiple knowledge domains and perspectives, integrating insights from other disciplines such as cultural studies, economics, technology studies, environmental sciences, and indigenous knowledge systems.

In this context, social work's traditional commitment to holistic approaches has become more crucial than ever. The field now stands at a critical juncture where it must strengthen its interdisciplinary foundations to address these intertwined challenges effectively. This is particularly relevant as artificial intelligence and digital technologies reshape social services, while sustainability imperatives demand new forms of collaboration across technical, environmental, and human service disciplines.

Our 2025 edition of ISUSW at Shandong University will explore how social work can enhance its interdisciplinary capacity to meet contemporary challenges while respecting diverse cultural contexts and knowledge systems. This exploration becomes particularly significant as we witness varying approaches to social problems across Asian, Western, and Global South perspectives, especially in addressing sustainability goals and social justice in an increasingly interconnected world. With a mission to empower postgraduate social work students from around the world, our Shandong program aims to provide an immersive learning experience that fosters global perspectives and collaborative problem-solving.