Fostering India-Switzerland Social Work Collaboration

By Saumya

The K2A Mobility Grant provided me the opportunity to spend the month of June 2025 at the Haute école de travail social Genève (HES-SO), Switzerland. The visit was designed to strengthen collaboration between India and Switzerland in the field of social work, with a special focus on comparative curriculum studies, joint research, fieldwork pedagogy, and the exploration of online and open and distance learning (ODL) strategies for Bachelor and Master of Social Work programme.

I arrived in Geneva on 2 June 2025. On my visit to HES-SO, Geneva, I was warmly welcomed by Prof. Garcia Delahaye Sylvia, who introduced me to the academic environment at HETS. Meeting her at the very outset helped me orient myself to the institution and its priorities. I also had the opportunity to meet Prof. Manish K. Jha, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), India, who was visiting for his joint research under the K2A network. Our discussions were particularly enriching as we shared perspectives on the challenges of social work education in India, the importance of indigenization in pedagogy, and the potential role of South–South and South–North collaborations in advancing the discipline. I shared my experiences of offering MSW Programme through online and open and distance learning and learnt about the BSW and MSW Programme offered in Switzerland.

Throughout June, I participated in a series of academic activities:
• There were several meetings with Prof. Garcia Delahaye Sylvia where we discussed innovative pedagogical strategies and intercultural approaches to curriculum design, explored joint research interests, lectures and opportunities for collaboration. She also took me on a field visit to community-based services, including neighbourhoods with old age homes, community drop-in centres, single mother residences, and a health facility for people with substance use challenges. This visit offered me a first-hand understanding of how Swiss social work practice integrates community care, rehabilitation, and empowerment.

• Participated in an online meeting with Prof. Stéphane Castelli (HETS) to explore the possibility of developing MSW Online programme at HETS. We discussed technological infrastructures, accreditation mechanisms, and our institutional strengths.

• Prof. Dr. Swetha Rao Dhananka (Fribourg) invited me to Lausanne, HES-SO where I participated in an open discussion led by her, for MSW Students on the theme ‘Indigenous Knowledge and Social Work’. I got the opportunity to share my inputs on ‘What does indigenization mean in the context of social work (teaching and practice) in post-colonial India? Here I also met Prof. Julia Emprechtinger who had organised this session. I was able to interact extensively with the MSW students. This discussion made me realise the need to contextualize social work pedagogy in post-colonial societies. It encouraged me to reflect on how IGNOU can further embed indigenous knowledge and community-based practices into ODL.

• Prof. Sylvia provided me an opportunity to meet two faculty members of the practices and fieldwork department, Ms. Anicée Favero and Dorella Aurecchia. Their presentation on fieldwork pedagogy provided deep insights into how Swiss social work education balances theory with intensive practice. I was provided reading materials on the BSW and MSW curriculum and practice for better understanding.

The above-mentioned discussions often moved beyond academic theory into lived experiences of social workers in India and Switzerland. Several important insights emerged from this mobility. Whereas IGNOU’s open and distance learning model provides unmatched access, flexibility and inclusivity, HETS emphasizes depth through face-to-face mentorship and strong fieldwork supervision. Together, these models suggest the potential for a blended international curriculum. Together we explored collaboration opportunities for joint authorship of papers and conference presentations, webinars, co-taught courses, co-developed self-learning materials and shared digital innovations in online and ODL. Moreover, we discussed about student exchanges, joint supervision, and co-authored publications to enhance the transnational relevance of social work.

While the central focus of my mobility was academic collaboration, I also had the opportunity to experience Switzerland’s unique landscapes and cultural richness during weekends. These travels not only allowed me to immerse myself in Swiss life but also provided a reflective space to think through my academic engagements. I visited Wengen, a serene mountain village known for its breathtaking Alpine views; Interlaken, situated between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, where I experienced the vibrancy of a tourist hub; and the majestic Jungfrau region, which showcased the harmony between natural beauty and sustainable tourism. These journeys were deeply rejuvenating and enriched my understanding of how Switzerland integrates community, culture, and environment. I also had the chance to enjoy traditional cheese fondue, crispy rösti, and of course, world-famous Swiss chocolates. Sharing these meals with colleagues and locals provided moments of warmth, informal exchange, and cross-cultural bonding.

Such experiences, though outside formal academic activities, added a valuable dimension to my mobility: they broadened my perspective of Swiss society and provided an informal context for appreciating the interplay of environment, community, and well-being — themes that resonate strongly with the values of social work.

To conclude, the K2A mobility has been both academically fruitful and personally enriching. My engagements at HES-SO deepened my understanding of European models of social work education, while also allowing me to share Indian experiences with a diverse academic community. The interactions with Prof. Garcia, Prof. Castelli, Prof. Swetha Rao Dhananka, Prof Julia, Ms Anicee, Ms Dorella and Prof. Manish Jha, along with the students I met, have laid the foundation for future collaboration between IGNOU and HETS under the K2A framework. I return from this mobility with renewed commitment to strengthening transnational perspectives in social work, while continuing to advance the indigenization and democratization of education through ODL in India.