What brings people to the social work classroom: a comparative perspective from India and China

ABSTRACT

This article explores the motivational factors for students to take up social work as a degree programme at the postgraduate level. The study reports on qualitative interviews (N = 66) conducted with conveniently selected postgraduate social work students at ten different university departments of social work across India and China. The findings revealed that there are (1) gaps in entry to MSW program: need to rethink admission policy; (2) gaps in the impact of studying social work: need to focus on social change and transformation; (3) gaps in career preferences after studying social work: need to focus on career guidance. The result of the study provides information on current international social work developments in education and help policymakers and educators to change or enhance their approaches towards understanding social work theory, teaching practice and student recruitment policies.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work education
• India and China
• comparative study
• career choice
• motivation
• professional motivation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Interviews were conducted in English by the first author and were electronically recorded.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rajendra Baikady

Rajendra Baikady is URC Special Post-Doctoral Fellow and Senior Research Associate at the Department of Social Work and Community Development, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London, UK. Baikady’s research interests are in International Social Work, Social Change, Social Problems, Social Welfare, social justice, human rights, critical social work, Social Policy and globalization among others.

Varoshini Nadesan

Varoshini Nadesan is Lecturer and Postgraduate Supervisor at the Department of Social Work and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Varoshini holds an undergraduate social work degree, promoted to chief social worker and probation officer at the state Department of Social Development, and subsequently as senior national manager for professional conduct at the South African Council for Social Service Professions.

Jianguo Gao

Gao Jianguo is a Professor and former Head in the Department of Social Work, School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, Peoples Republic of China. He has been in post graduate teaching for more than 35 years. His main research fields include Community Development, Non-profit Organization (NPO), Social Welfare Theories, and Comparative Welfare Policies.