Social Work Education institutions (SWEI) in Africa

First generation SWEIs 1920-1970

Some of the first social work training institutions in Africa were:

  • 1924 Jan Hofmeyer College, South Africa
  • 1936 Greek Community School in Alexandria, Egypt
  • 1937 Egyptian Association for Social Studies, Egypt
  • 1946 Higher Institute of Social Work, Cairo, Egypt
  • 1946 School of Social Welfare Accra, Ghana
  • 1949 School of Social Work, University of Khartoum, Sudan
  • 1956 University of Ghana
  • 1959 School of Social Work, University College of Addis Ababa, Haile Selassie I University, Ethiopia
  • 1961 Oppenheimer College of Social Sciences in Zambia 
  • 1964 School of Social Services (now School of Social Work), Zimbabwe (with support from the Oppenheimer College of Social Sciences of Zambia)
  • 1964 Chancellor College of the University of Malawi, certificate in community development 1964, diploma in social welfare 1978 and degree in social work 2006 (information provide by Felix Kakowa, Head of Department)

Second generation SWEIS 1980-2000

  • 1985 Department of Social Work, University of Botswana
  • 1991 Departmenf of Social Work, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Started with Master of Social Work degree in 1991 with the support of the University of Pennsylvania, USA. The department now runs BSW, MSW (academic & professional) Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work (PGDSW), Master of Philosophy and PhD. Website: ui.edu.ng/social work. People: Prof Louis Shoemaker (late President of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia USA; Prof Joseph Okedara (late Dean of the Faculty of Education University of Ibadan Nigeria) and Dr Julius Ola Ojesina (late Chief Psychiatric Social Worker, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Contact: Professor James Ayangunna.

Third generation SWEIs 2001-2021

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Index of African Social Work Education Institutions (SWEI)

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