The conference is co-organised by the Centre for Social Work Education & Research, Sun Yat-sen University (China) and the Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath (United Kingdom).
We are pleased to invite you to participate in the International Conference on Integrating International Research, Policy and Practice in Developing Welfare Services to be held on 16-17 September, 2015 at the Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou China. This conference is co-organised by the Centre for Social Work Education & Research, Sun Yat-sen University (China) and the Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath (United Kingdom). As targeting scholars and professionals in the areas of social policy and social work, the aim of this conference is to build up an international network of institutions of higher education (academics), practice-based organisations (practitioners), policy makers and students with an interest in transferring the lessons from different countries regarding ‘what works’ in welfare services. With concerted efforts and collaborative networks established in the conference, we expect that the conference will bring together existing knowledge and practices and ultimately will contribute to improving welfare services at both global and local levels.
Two prestigious key-note speakers will present their visions on social policy and social work:
1. Prof. Graham Room (University of Bath, United Kingdom)
As a Professor of European Social Policy and a member of Academy of Social Sciences, Graham Room is author, co-author or editor of twelve books. Prof. Room was acting Director of the Institute for Policy Research until December 2013 and he was founding editor of the Journal of European Social Policy. His latest research is concerned with complexity theory and social dynamics and with the implications for policy analysis.
2. Prof. Xiaoyuan Shang (University of New South Wales, Australia)
Xiaoyuan Shang is a well-recognised expert in child welfare in China and she is also an Emeritus Professor at the Beijing Normal University. In 2001 and 2005 she played a central role in leading a research team to conduct two important large-scale investigations on Children in Institutions and Other Forms of Alternative Care in China, and The Needs of HIV/AIDS Affected Children in China, for UNICEF and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. From 2005 to 2009, Prof. Shang organised the first national investigation of orphaned children in China.
In the hope of making this conference a great success, a wide range of cutting-edge presentations on different themes of welfare services will be organised. Papers are welcomed from any discipline, covering any area of practice (e.g. child welfare, ageing & mental health) in the following themes:
l Professionalisation
l The role of culture, context and legal structures
l Innovation and cross national learning
l The role of evidence in policy making
l The relationship between government and non-governmental organisations
Papers can be theoretical and/or empirical and must challenge or develop current knowledge in that area. Submissions are welcome from academics, policy makers, practitioners as well as research students.
In addition, two special events will be arranged during the conference and we encourage those who are interested to join. On the morning of 17 September, there will be a ceremony to launch an International Observatory for Innovation in Child Protection Services. The aim of establishing this international network is to provide a platform for academics and practitioners to exchange experiences in child protection in future. On the afternoon of 17 September, there will be field visits to social work projects in Guangzhou.
We truly believe that this international conference will be a highly rewarding conference for everyone concerned, and will contribute to the global agenda of integrating research and practices of welfare services in local contexts. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to share your knowledge, research and experiences in the conference.
Abstract submission for the conference is now open and the deadline of submission is extended to
15 July, 2015. Please send your abstract with a maximum of 500 words to
[log in to unmask]. Full paper is extended to
1 September, 2015. Meanwhile,
simultanenous interpretation service will be provided during the conference. Anyone who is interested in attending the conference can also register by filling the attached form and sending it to
[log in to unmask] by
1 September, 2015. The registration fee for paper contributors and participants is 500 RMB.
If you are a student, the registration fee is 250 RMB. Transfer details will be replied individually after the organising committee receives the registration email.
We look forward to receiving your abstracts and meeting you in this International Conference.
Kind Regards,
Co-Chairs of the Organising Committee
Prof. Agnes Law (Sun Yat-sen University)
Dr. Louise Brown (University of Bath)
Members of the Organising Committee
Dr. Jie Lei (Sun Yat-sen University)
Prof. Xiaojun Tong (China Youth University of Political Studies)
Prof. Ingrid Höjer (Gothenburg University)
Dr. Chak Kwan Chan (Nottingham Trent University)
Prof. His-sheng Wei (National Taipei University)
