Call for Abstracts – 3rd International Social Work Students Virtual Conference (ISWSC)

Dear Colleague Students,
We are excited to invite you to submit abstracts for our 3rd International Social Work Students Virtual Conference (ISWSC). The Conference is scheduled for 24 March 2026, between 8:00 am and 11 am (CST), under the theme: “Rising Together: Building Solidarity in a Fragmented World”.

The Keynote Speaker for this year’s event is Professor Antoinette Lombard, President of the International Association of Schools of Social Work. She is also a Professor of Social Work at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The International Social Work Students Virtual Conference is an initiative of the Students for Global Change (SGC), a student-led organization in the School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). This Conference brings students from around the world to engage in meaningful dialogue on the evolving role of social work in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Since its inception, the conference has served as a vibrant meeting point for aspiring and emerging social work professionals. We connect students from diverse cultural, academic, and practice backgrounds who share a passion for advancing social justice and human rights. Last two years over fifty students and
faculty represented from India, Canada, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Poland, South Africa, Netherlands, Hong Kong, UK, and USA.

Building on this strong foundation, the third edition continues to provide a dynamic space for collective learning, storytelling, and innovation. Guided by the theme “Rising Together: Building Solidarity in a Fragmented World,” the conference invites participants to reimagine how the principles of empathy, inclusion, and resilience can be translated into action. In a world marked by economic disparity, forced migration, public health emergencies, and the far-reaching effects of climate change, social workers play an essential role in addressing these overlapping challenges. This year’s gathering aims to amplify student voices and celebrate how social work can drive global solidarity, not only through policy and research, but also through lived experience, community partnerships, and human connection.

Objectives

1. To foster global solidarity among social work students by creating a shared space for dialogue, mutual learning, and intercultural exchange.
2. To showcase innovative and inclusive social work interventions
3. To encourage the co-creation of global networks and long-term partnerships
   
   Sub themes
   
4. Collaborative advocacy, decolonized partnerships, and human rights across borders
5. The role of Social Work in post-conflict healing, truth-telling, and community rebuilding.
6. Responding to environmental disasters, climate migration, and ecological grief with justice-centered practice
7. Culturally grounded, trauma-informed approaches to global mental health disparities
8. Bridging divides between elders and youth, Indigenous and Western frameworks, local and global practice
9. Digital social work, cyber-advocacy, AI ethics, and the role of technology in solidarity movements
10. Tackling systemic injustice, colonial legacies, and institutional exclusion in diverse societies
11. The power of local initiatives, mutual aid, and participatory approaches to transformation
12. Transnational Solidarity and the Lived Realities of Migrants and Displaced Communities
13. Gender, Care, and Global Justice: Women’s Leadership in Building Collective Resilience
14. Childhood Across Borders: Children’s Rights, Safety, and Participation in a Fragmented World
15. Amplifying Student Experiences in Global Social Work: Academic Pathways, Mental Well-Being, and Advocacy
    
    Submission guidelines
    We encourage submissions from undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral scholars across all social science disciplines and from universities worldwide.
    
    Submissions may include fieldwork projects, case studies, innovative practice models, or research papers. The abstracts, no more than 250 words, should clearly outline the Objective, Method, Key findings, and Relevance of the study to contemporary global social challenges and social work practice.
    
    Participants will have opportunities to present and engage in live Q&A discussions. Presenters will receive certificates.
    
    Presentation Format: Oral paper presentations
    Abstract Submission Deadline: March 5, 2026, 11:59 pm CST
    Notification of Acceptance: March 14
    Presentation Time: 15 minutes
    
    Registration:
    Scan the QR code to submit your abstract

Alternative Registration Link:
https://sites.google.com/d/1zCdjJ16k_u5LuaR7qht0J_q9R3Aksiwb/p/19tjOBUw3JxVrhhH805lEfiYGM0WL_B54/edit

Review Criteria
Submissions evaluated by a review panel appointed by SGC leadership will be accepted based on methodological rigor, clarity of presentation, relevance to global social challenges, and consistency with SGC’s mission and objectives.

Questions and Contact Information:
Ms. Shamila Sivakumaran (PhD Candidate) – Conference Chair
Mr. Herman Nuake Kofi AGBOH – President SGC

The University of Texas at Arlington
School of Social Work, 501 West Mitchell Street,
Box 19129, Arlington, Texas 76019
sgc@uta.edu
sgc.uta@gmail.com