CHECK IT OUT! APASWE No.16 (2011-2013), September 2012

CHECK IT OUT! APASWE
No.16 (2011-2013) from President Office 25 September 2012

CONGRATULATIONS!

Students of the First Bachelor's Program of Social Work Have Graduated!

Twenty-two eager new professional social workers are out on the job market and ready to bring positive changes in Cambodia.

Meeting began in 1998 to develop a professional social work education program in Cambodia. it was a decade later in 2008 when the Ministry of Education formally granted an approval of the establishment of a bachelor's degree program at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). This Summer marks the graduation of the first cohort students from RUPP's BSW program. 

Here are a few comments made by some of the graduates to their instructors:

"Honestly, i attempted to drop out several times because social works was not my preferred major. Luckily i never succeeded with the plan, mostly because of strong support from classmate and lectureers. Now, I am clear about my future with my social work bachelor's degree. I am sure I will contribute my knowledge, skills and experience to society and particularly the marginalized groups through advocating, empowering them in whatever organization i will work. I am grateful to all faculty members for pioneering the Social Work Department."

“I am grateful for the great support from the DSW and its faculty that provided me with many wonderful learning opportunities, both in class and field placements; and for emotional and financial assistance. How excitingly I have graduated! Without the DSW, I might not know clearly who I am, and I will not be a professional social worker who is able to deal with bad influences/issues in Cambodia. I am extremely proud of being a social work student! Please continue to work hard, to create agents for change and to promote social workers in our country.”

The Royal University of Phnom Penh requested an assistance from the School of Social Work, University of Washington in 2004 to establish the new department. Together they developed the UW/RUPP Social Work Partnership which involved sponsoring six Cambodians to undertake the MSW program in the U.S. At present, these individuals are the faculty at the Department of Social Work, RUPP. The Partnership remains vital providing mentoring and other supports to the RUPP faculty and its department, as well as the international field learning and independent study opportunities for UW students.

Congratulations to the Class of 2012!

Recently the Council on Social Work Education in the U.S has announced that the University of Washington and the Royal University of Phnom Penh will be receiving the 2012 Partnership in Advancing Education for International (PIE) Social Work Award, in the category of degree-granting social work education program. This is awarded in recognition of the Partnership’s extraordinary achievements in international social work education.

For more information about the UW/RUPP Partnership, please go to http://socialwork.uw.edu/node/297.