Faculty 4: Social Work and Health organizes International Weeks (IW) each year to integrate international perspectives into teaching and strengthen exchange between students, teachers and international partners of the faculty.
33rd International Week coming up in May 2026
Under the motto “Urban Futures: Health and Social Sustainability,” the Faculty 4: Social Work and Health will welcome guest speakers from universities and organizations from across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America during the 33. International Week from May 18-22, 2026 who will be integrated into selected modules during the week. The International Week provides an exciting opportunity to learn more about social work and health care in a global context through attending the guest lectures at the faculty.
Additional events within an Erasmus Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) "Be the Change – Advancing Urban Sustainability and Health in Metropolitan Regions"will also be integrated into the International Week - join in to engage with students and lecturers from across Europe and the United States. The BIP also includes the international conference and research day “Disaster Risk Reduction in Care and Social Work: Transnational Learning Lab” from May 20-21, 2026. This is a collaborative event of the TransKat research project (funded by VolkswagenStiftung), the U!REKA European University, and the City of Worms.
The guest lectures are open to all students and staff of Faculty 4: Social Work and Health. Further information about the program will be published in April – we look forward to your participation!
Student program: 33nd International Week
9:30-10:30
Discussion & Q& A Session Online (Microsoft Teams)
“Introduction to Disaster Nursing in China”
Guests: L. Fan (The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, China) & Y. Wang (The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China) / Host: S. Mehl
10:15-11:00 Guest lecture 2-412
“A South African Perspective on Child and Youth Well-being”
Guest: A. Human-Hendricks (University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa) / Host: A. Paschalidou
10:15-11:00 Guest lecture 2-462
“Evidence-Based Research & Social Work Practice: Bridging Knowledge & Community Interventions”
Guest: B. Swargiary (Assam Don Bosco University, India) / Host: Y. Abid
10:15-11:00 Guest Lecture 2-317
“(Analyzing Social Work Organizations through Gender & Race: Perspectives from the Global South, TBD)”
Guest: R. Ramli (Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia, Malaysia) / Host: S. Behgam & B. Schwarzer
12:00-13:00 Open discussion with students 2-313
“Intersectionality in Social Work Practice”
Guests: Open to all / Host: M. Köttig & L. Reichstetter
12:00-13:00 Guest Lecture 10-303
“Urbanised Ageing and Strategic Welfare Space in a Namibian Former Township”
Guest: J. Ananias (University of Namibia (UNAM), Namibia) / Host: U. Kämmerer-Rütten
14 :30-16 :00 Panel Discussion (student organized) 10- 07/08 (Multifunktionsraum)
“Integration in Hesse - Theory and Action in Social Work and Politics"
Guests: M. Löbke, Head of Integration & Law (City of Wiesbaden), Evangelische Verein für Wohnraumhilfe in Frankfurt am Main e.V. & Prof. Dr. M. Pichl (Frankfurt UAS)
14:45-16 :45 BIP lecture 4-111/112
“Health-Led Approach to Homelessness”
Guest: ATU, Ireland / Hosts: M. Peters & C. Schmitt
16:00-17:30 Guest Lecture 2-262
„Qualitative Interviews mit drogenkonsumierenden Menschen. Methodische Zugänge, ethische Herausforderungen und reflexive Praxis (in German)“
Guest: M. Tzanetakis (WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria) / Host: B. Werse
8:30-10:00
Interactive Discussion: "To Ergastiri- 47 years focusing on the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and strengthening their rights”
Guest: P. Katsaroupas (To Ergastiri, Greece)
Host: C. Das
2-161
___________________
9:00-10:45
Guest lecture: “How does Lifeline/Childline contribute to Child Protection in Namibia”
Guest: E. Prins (LifeLine/ ChildLine, Namibia)
Host: K. Kostka
2-124, 125
___________________
10:15-11:45
Interactive Discussion: “The Social Worker's Intervention in the Migration Context: Experiences from Civil Society in Mexico”
Guest: H. Viquez Gomez (Sin Fronteras, Mexico)
Host: C. Das
2-161
___________________
10:15-11:45
Guest lecture: “Sub-Saharan African Migration to Istanbul: Irregular Transnational Pathways, Discrimination and Resilience”
Guest: P. Kolluoglu (Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey)
Host: T. Tohidipur
2-462
___________________
10:30-12:00
Guest lecture: “Empowering Voices: The Role of Midwifery Communication in Strengthening Democratic Healthcare”
Guest: S. Rodriguez Martín (Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland)
Host: K. Syrmou
2-E19
___________________
12:00-13:00
Guest lecture: “To Ergastiri- 47 years focusing on social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and strengthening their rights”
Guest: P. Katsaroupas (To Ergastiri, Greece)
Host: M. Peters
2-406
___________________
12:00-13:00
Guest lecture: “Social services for people with intellectual / psychosocial disability”
Guest: V. Greženienė & V. Paulauskyte (Valakampiu Social Support Facility, Lithuania)
Host: M. Diouani-Streek
2-120
___________________
14:15-15:30
Guest lecture: “Social Work in Morocco: The case of children in vulnerable situations in Khoutwa”
Guests: Z. Bibou (Femmes du sud, Morocco); S. Boukerma (Association Khoutwa, Morocco)
Host: Y. Abid
10-113
___________________
14:30-15:45
Guest lecture: “Advocating for & Supporting Vulnerable Populations in Nursing: Lessons from the U.S. & Ghana" (online/ hybrid)
Guest: D. Baba (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA)
Host: H. Graßme
10-311
10:15-11:45
Panel discussion: International Social Work – Challenges in local contexts
Guests: H. Viquez Gomez (Sin Fronteras IAP, Mexico); V. Paulauskyte (Valakampiu Social Support Facility, Lithuania); E. Prins (LifeLine/ ChildLine, Namibia)
Host: B. Schwarzer
10-331
_______________
10:15-11:45
Guest lecture: „Böse bin ich auf sie, siehst du, auch wenn sie schon tot ist“ - Der Holocaust, wie es von einer Augenzeugin erzählt wird
Guest: J. Vajda (Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Hungary)
Host: L. Inowlocki
BCN 533
_______________
10:15-11:45
Panel discussion: “Sub-Saharan African Migration to Morocco, Tunisia & Turkey: Integration, social work support & health”
Guests: S. Belhadj (University of Tunis El Manar , Tunisia); S. Boukerma (Association Khoutwa, Morocco); P. Kolluoglu (Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey)
Host: Y. Abid
BCN 204
_______________
12:00-14:00
World Café: Internships Abroad for BA Social Work: transnational students
Guests: S. Boukerma; V. Greženienė; V. Paulauskyte, E. Prins; H. Viquez Gomez
Hosts: Y. Abid & M. Dörr
2-462
_______________
13:30-14:30
U!REKA EduForum (Ersatztermin Fb4)
Hosts: R. Gschrey & M. Peters
FILTER Café
_______________
14:15-15:45
Guest lecture: “Empowering Voices: The Role of Midwifery Communication in Strengthening Democratic Healthcare”
Guest: S. Rodriguez Martín (Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland)
Host: F. Hesse
2-163
9:00-10:30
Guest lecture: “Empowering Voices: The Role of Midwifery Communication in Strengthening Democratic Healthcare”
Guest: S. Rodriguez Martín (Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland)
Host: M. Peters
2-117
___________________
12:00-13:00
Guest lecture: “COVID-19 Disaster. Risk Reduction through Oxygen Therapy and Ventilation Case Management Training for Nurses in Namibia” (Online/ Hybrid)
Guest: L. Masule (University of Namibia (UNAM), Namibia)
Host: M. Peters
2-406
___________________
12:00-13:30
(NOT YET CONFIRMED!) Guest lecture: "Migration issues and Social Work support in Souss Massa (Morocco)"
Guest: Z. Bibou (Femmes du sud, Morocco)
Host: Y. Abid
2-120, 121
___________________
14:15-15:45
Guest lecture: “The Social Worker's Intervention in the Migration Context: Experiences from Civil Society in Mexico”
Guest: H. Viquez Gomez (Sin Fronteras, Mexico)
Hosts: K. Huckenbeck, M. Pelzer, T. Tohidipur
2-463
___________________
16:00-17:30
Guest lecture: “Migration and Mental health”
Guest: S. Belhadj (Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia)
Host: Y. Abid
2-161
10:15-11:45
Guest lecture: „Böse bin ich auf sie, siehst du, auch wenn sie schon tot ist“ - Der Holocaust, wie es von einer Augenzeugin erzählt wird
Guest: J. Vajda (Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Hungary)
Host: S. Müller
10-113
_____________________
12:00-13:30
Guest lecture: “How does Lifeline/Childline contribute to Child Protection in Namibia”
Guest: E. Prins (LifeLine/ ChildLine, Namibia)
Host: K. Syrmou
2-E19
_____________________
12:00-13:30
Guest lecture: “Social Work in Morocco: The case of children in vulnerable situations in Khoutwa”
Guest: S. Boukerma (Association Khoutwa, Morocco)
Hosts: K. Huckenbeck, M. Pelzer, T. Tohidipur
2-321
About the International Weeks
The Faculty of Social Work and Health has held International Weeks (IWs) regularly for over 15 years at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, in which many international guests are invited to hold guest lectures and share their expertise in selected modules at the faculty. The IWs are an important element of the university wide initiative of "Internationalization at Home", which provides students with international perspectives in teaching right here in Frankfurt. These also offer the opportunity for students, lecturers and staff to network with our partner universities as well as with practitioners from social and healthcare institutions and learn more about exchange and cooperation opportunities.