Revitalising Communities of Shared Knowledge in the Wake of a Global Crisis

The current academic year has borne witness to a remarkable resurgence, a rekindling of in-person interactions within the world of social work. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the landscape of human connection, social workers across the globe are reclaiming the vitality of shared physical spaces. In Europe alone, all three major international social work organisations (IFSW, EASSW, ESWRA) organised major conferences within the span of three months. Social work educators and practitioners in Asia and Africa will also be organising their key events later this year, whilst the global social work conference (IFSW and IASSW) returns to face-to-face modalities, for the first time, post-pandemic, in 2024. In a period marked by isolation and distance, the chance to meet again at multiple events and conferences spanning all continents feels like a long-awaited homecoming. The evolution of technology during the pandemic has revolutionised the way we communicate, equipping us with the tools to continue our work despite the barriers imposed by an unprecedented health crisis. Yet, as valuable as these tools are, they are not designed to completely replace the transformative power of face-to-face interactions. The collective energy of shared physical spaces, the subtleties of non-verbal communication and the unspoken bonds forged in mutual presence—these are not elements that can be easily replicated in a virtual environment.

Economic geography · Geography · Political science · Wake · Aerospace Engineering · Engineering · University Challenges and Reforms