Report 2009:36 R

Evaluation of Social Work Programmes at Swedish Higher Education Institutions

During 2009, Högskoleverket (Swedish National Agency for Higher Education) has evaluated all Swedish programmes leading to a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. Programmes at the following higher education institutions have been included in the evaluation: Ersta Sköndal högskola (Ersta Sköndal University College), Göteborgs universitet (University of Gothenburg), Högskolan i Gävle (University of Gävle), Högskolan i Jönköping (Jönköping University), Högskolan i Kalmar (University of Kalmar, now Linnaeus University), Högskolan Kristianstad (Kristianstad University College), Karlstads universitet (Karlstad University), Linköpings universitet (Linköping University), Lunds universitet (Lund University), Malmö högskola (Malmö University), Mittuniversitetet (Mid Sweden University), Stockholms universitet (Stockholm University), Umeå universitet (Umeå University), Uppsala universitet (Uppsala University), Växjö universitet (Växjö University, now Linnaeus University) and Örebro universitet (Örebro University).

To carry out the evaluation, the Swedish National Agency has engaged expert professional representatives from Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, as well as students from Sweden.

The programmes have been reviewed on the basis of the quality aspects generally applied by the Agency in previous national evaluations of higher education. The assessments are primarily based on the self-evaluations that the higher education institutions have carried out and interviews during on-site visits. A number of selected degree projects were also reviewed.
 
The results of the evaluation are presented in this report.
 
The report begins with the Agency's decision and conclusions, as well as a description of its basis and methodology. After this comes the assessment panel's report, which begins with general observations and recommendations, followed by a description of Social Work programmes in some Nordic countries. The assessment panel's report concludes with descriptions, assessments, conclusions and recommendations that are specific to each institute of high education.
 
On the basis of the assessment panel's conclusions and recommendations, the Agency finds that the Social Work programmes at the University of Gothenburg, Lund University, Stockholm University and Umeå University are of excellent quality and that the Social Work programme at Linnaeus University (formerly the University of Kalmar and Växjö University) is of high quality.
 
Three higher education institutions, the University of Gävle, Karlstad University and Uppsala University, which were granted the right to award a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 2006 or later, have not yet completed the programme. The assessment panel has not been able to draw any conclusions about the quality of the Social Work programme, but provide recommendations for continued development work. The Agency will follow up the evaluation within twelve months, based on the assessors' conclusions and recommendations.
 
On the basis of the assessment panel's conclusions and recommendations, the Agency has notified a conditional extension of degree-awarding powers at seven higher education institutions: Ersta Sköndal University College, Jönköping University, Kristianstad University College, Linköping University, Malmö University, Mid Sweden University and Örebro University. Within twelve months, these seven higher education institutions shall account for the measures they have taken on the basis of the assessors' conclusions and recommendations.