Faculty of Social Work, Ljubljana, Slovenia
The core tasks of the Faculty are education and research. Through undergraduate, graduate and permanent education, the Faculty offers knowledge and training for professional tasks and performances in social care and other fields where the knowledge and skills of social workers are needed. Through research it contributes to the science of social work and advances the profession. It conducts basic and applied research and developmental projects, publishes research findings, implements them in practice and proposes pertinent policies.
The School for Social Workers was established in 1955 as a two-year diploma programme. In the 1970s it was integrated into the University of Ljubljana. It developed a four-year university-level programme and launched postgraduate specialisation programmes in 1992. From 1995 it was a four-year degree programme and in 2003 it became a faculty and introduced graduate study programme (master and doctoral). Ever since its establishment the faculty has been a pillar of the development of Slovenian social work and the field of social care in general.
Teaching is based on scientific research. The Faculty has produced basic forms and methods of contemporary social work such as counselling, group work, community work, and work with families. Its achievements in voluntary work, action research, and qualitative research in general have played an important part in Slovenian social sciences. It has developed work with older people, women, young people, people in mental distress, disabled people, and ethnic minorities and contributed to innovations such as social first aid, home help, group homes, safe houses, and others.
A significant part of study at the Faculty involves practical work and training in social work methods and skills. Students are involved in practical, research and developmental projects throughout their studies.
Through its network of contacts across the world the Faculty has coordinated or participated in many international projects. It is a member of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW), the initiator of the Eastern European Subregional Association of Schools of Social Work (EEsrSSW) and European social work research association (ESWRA).
The Faculty of Social Work has 500 students in all 3 cycles of the study programme, 28 permanent pedagogical staff and 20 part time teachers and assistants. It offers a regular programme for Bachelor degree in Social work and master degree in social work. It also offers a doctoral degree in social work, which is fee based programme. It is possible for students to get a grant from the Ministry of education and science.
Faculty of Social Work also offers 4 MA programmes for part-time students, each year 2 of them are offered for enrolment.
CESPASWON 