The Social Work Education: International Journal invites contributions to the Special Issue themed ‘New Directions in Social Work Education in Africa: Challenges and Prospects’. This Special Issue will provide a voice and raise the visibility of social work education in different countries across the continent of Africa. We invite the submission of abstracts, of not more than 300 words, for consideration by 16 August 2021.

This Special Issue will create a space to bring a set of papers together that will contribute to advancing knowledge, dialogue and understanding of social work education in Africa, now and in the future. The papers will explore current challenges and prospects, offer reflection on the journey so far, and on what makes African social work education unique and distinct. Discussion and interest in local, contextualised and indigenous African knowledge is growing, and is acknowledged as an essential foundation for evolving social work education and practice. Essential for contesting an overdependence on prevailing Western knowledge, as well as in preparing graduates for practice that is relevant and responsive to local socio-cultural needs.

We encourage the submission of papers that re-imagine social work education in Africa, support new thinking, and provide empirical research to inform and frame new directions. We invite social work academics and practitioners to submit an abstract for this Special Issue, and welcome empirical, conceptual and/or theoretical papers that engage with one or more of the questions listed below:

• What are the opportunities and challenges for expanding social work education in Africa?
• Which social work theories and/or models are taught on social work programmes across Africa?
• How is indigenous, local and/or contextualised knowledge being defined and integrated into social work education in Africa?
• What are the ethical issues encountered in social work education in Africa?
• Is social work knowledge mobile, and what are the implications of knowledge moving between cultures and countries?
• What is the role of faith and spirituality in social work education and practice in Africa?
• How are social work students prepared for field practicum, what areas of practice are they introduced to during field practicum, and how are they assessed?
• Is experiential knowledge integrated into social work curriculum in Africa?
• What are the challenges and opportunities for the emerging professionalization of social work across Africa?