Empowering Social Work Practice Education in Nepal

ESWPEN Project (2026–2028)

The ESWPEN (Empowering Social Work Practice Education in Nepal) project strengthens social work education, professional competence, and connections between universities and the labour market in Nepal. Its aim is to build a sustainable and high‑quality model for social work field practice education that meets local needs and supports the development of the profession.The project is coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland, in collaboration with Tribhuvan University, Mid-Western University and Purbanchal University in Nepal, as well as the University of Ostrava (Czech Republic), UNED (Spain), and the Social Workers’ Association Nepal (SWAN).

What does the project do?

1. Developing a Nepal‑contextualized model for field practice education

The project produces Nepal’s first research‑based framework for social work field practice. It is grounded in a comprehensive needs assessment, regional workshops, and close collaboration with students, practitioners, academics, and policymakers.

2. Creating new learning materials and supervision resources

The project produces:

• a supervision guidebook for university teachers
• a field practice guidebook for students
• a digital resource bank and project website
• example cases demonstrating successful teaching and supervision

All materials will be available in English and Nepali.

3. Strengthening the skills of teachers and field supervisors

The project trains:

• 30 university teachers as “seed trainers” to develop supervision practices in their own institutions
• 100 social work field supervisors from partner organisations and government agencies

Together, these supervisors will guide 600 social work students, who will in turn provide services to approximately 600 clients during the project.

4. Building structures and collaboration models

A new cooperation protocol will be established between higher education institutions and field agencies. The aim is to create a long‑lasting model that supports student placements, strengthens career opportunities, and increases the visibility of social work in Nepal.

Guiding principles of ESWPEN

Practice orientation combined with strong theoretical grounding
Field practice education is developed by integrating high‑quality theory with real‑world situations.

Context and culture at the centre
All training models and materials are designed to be relevant to Nepal’s social, cultural, and educational context.

Sustainability and long‑term structures
The goal is to build durable, self‑sustaining solutions rather than short‑term interventions.