Currently, the Department has a total of 25 professorial teachers, 10 Lecturers and 12 Assistant Lecturers. The history of social work education at HKU reflects both the growing importance of the social work profession and public recognition of the contribution social work makes towards building a more prosperous and harmonious Hong Kong society. For more than 70 years, our commitment to improving the quality of life of the Hong Kong people has kept our social work education at the forefront of the changing social welfare landscape. We teach students professional knowledge and skills, so that they can make social change possible.
For the Department, the next decade will be an exciting period to crystalize our aspirations and make further progress in terms of our achievements. The completion of the new Centennial Campus and the switch to a four-year undergraduate curriculum in 2012 marks a new opportunity for the Department to move ahead and reach new heights. The new campus provides us with the required space and improves our teaching and learning facilities and environment.
The Department is the first social work training institute in Hong Kong’s history of professional social work education. The following chronology shows the evolution of the Department from 1950 onwards up to the recent years.
| Chronology of evolution of the SWSA Department | |
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| 1950s |
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| 1960s |
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| 1970s |
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| 1980s |
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| 1990s |
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| 2010s |
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| 2020s |
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As a leading academic department in social work, behavioural sciences, social policy and social development in Asia, we strive to build impactful knowledge and practice to create a better world through promoting social justice and interdisciplinary collaboration, empowering vulnerable populations and improving the quality of life for all.
Welcome to the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, the first social work training institute in Hong Kong’s professional social work education history!
Social work is a profession and an academic discipline to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Our Department, which consists of a committed and competent interdisciplinary and international team, is dedicated to building impactful knowledge and innovative practices for improving the quality of life for all.
Our qualifying programmes of Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work cultivate proficient social work leaders and practitioners through our quality and state-of-the-art education. These degrees are recognized locally and internationally. Our Department offers sought after major and minor programmes in the Bachelor of Social Sciences degrees introducing social work and social administration, counselling, and social policy and social development to those planning to join the profession in a later stage. In addition, our eight Taught Master of Social Sciences and Master of Expressive Art Therapy Programmes offer specialized post-qualifying learning experiences for those who want to excel with a new horizon in knowledge and practice.
Research provides us with information and knowledge for decision-making, problem-solving, planning and implementation. Our Department has five research clusters carrying out cutting-edge research in Evidence-based Clinical Social Work Practice, Mental Health, Population Studies, Ageing, and Arts Therapy. Moreover, our team nurtures a big group of research postgraduate students. Many of them are now professors in leading universities around the world.
The value of research is to make a positive impact on society. Therefore, our team is actively engaged in knowledge exchanges with NGOs and research partners.
I hope you will join us in our teaching, research and knowledge exchange and concertedly contribute to the benefit of all.
Be part of us!
Amy Yin-man Chow
Head of Department
The Hong Kong University Social Work Alumni Association (香港大學社會工作畢業同學會) is established in accordance with the Societies Ordinance, Chapter 151, Laws of Hong Kong and shall be governed by the present Constitution. The HKUSWAA pursues no profit-making aims and is registered under the Societies Ordinance.
