Challenges for social work Education in Vietnam: Voice of social work students

Abstract

In the early 1990s, some academic institutions in Vietnam introduced the subject of social work into their curricula and began training students in related programs. The training was, however, not internally coherent, and social work education in Vietnam only really emerged in Vietnam in 2004, when the Ministry of Education and Training approved the national curriculum in the field. In 2010, the government of Vietnam recognized the urgent need for social work professionals to solve various social problems and build public welfare, democracy, and the socialist state. Since then, Vietnam’s social work education has developed rapidly. Currently there are around 55 universities and colleges at the national and provincial levels with active social work programs. But social work education in Vietnam faces many challenges. This paper gives voice to social work students on some of those challenges, including different layers of educators, licensing, materials, and practicum. The paper is based on a survey of, and interviews with, students from 17 universities in Vietnam, and includes concrete recommendations for improving the professional training of social work students.