What is SWIPE?
What were our aims?
What have we achieved?
The history of SWIPE and its progress
Socrates- Erasmus - European funding

What are our aims?

The collaboration aims to develop a module and learning materials that would

• Internationalise the social work curriculum
• Prepare students to work with those affected by global problems in their own localities
• Prepare students to practice abroad
• To challenge oppression and social exclusion
• To disseminate our findings through a web site, publications and conferences

The Project funding supported the collaborative development of a module for teaching social work students to better understand and practice with the people affected by globalisation. These aims were congruent with the social and economic targets of the European Union.

The SWIPE module was designed to prepare students for international practice and equally importantly to prepare them for global practice in their own localities; wherever possible drawing upon good practice from other countries. These aims required an internationalisation of the curriculum and it was recognised that this perspective should be integrated throughout social work education with the module representing only one, though significant, element.

Time was set aside to meet the complementary aim of producing learning materials. These were developed and evaluated during the pilot stage. Much of the learning material was designed for all aspects of practice education; 'on-site' as well as in the academy.