Warsaw at the Centre of International Debate on the Future of Social Work

APS Hosts TiSSA Network Meeting

Representatives of doctoral schools and academic institutions from 30 countries around the world met in Warsaw to assess doctoral research projects and discuss the future of research in social work, social policy and social support. The six-day event was hosted by the Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw.

From 28 August to 2 September 2026, the Maria Grzegorzewska University (APS) in Warsaw hosted an international meeting of the International Social Work & Social Policy and Social Development Doctoral Studies Network (TiSSA) – one of Europe’s leading networks bringing together doctoral schools and academic institutions working in the fields of social work, social policy and social pedagogy.

The event brought together representatives of doctoral schools and academic institutions from 25 European countries, as well as Australia, Georgia, Japan, Mexico, Thailand and Türkiye. The meeting provided an opportunity for international exchange, the assessment of research projects by early-career researchers, and discussion of contemporary challenges facing social work and social support systems.

International Assessment of Doctoral Projects

One of the key elements of the six-day meeting was a series of international doctoral project assessment sessions. A group of 22 experts from different countries reviewed nine projects prepared by doctoral candidates at the Maria Grzegorzewska University.

The panel included researchers representing institutions such as Ghent University, University College Dublin, Royal Holloway, University of London, the University of Münster, Aarhus University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, Deakin University, Bar-Ilan University and UC Louvain, as well as the Maria Grzegorzewska University.

Among the experts were Prof. Lieve Bradt, Prof. Jim Campbell, Prof. Anna Gupta, Prof. Onno Husen, Prof. Christian Kjeldsen, Prof. Walter Lorenz, Prof. Anna Odrowaz-Coates, Prof. Anna Perkowska-Klejman, Prof. Anna-Lena Rademaker, Prof. Kim Robinson, Prof. Griet Roets, Prof. Rudi Roose, Prof. Shachar Timor-Shlevin and Prof. Martin Wagener.

The international character of the event gave APS doctoral candidates an opportunity to discuss their projects with researchers representing different academic traditions and doctoral education systems. At the same time, the experts taking part in the meeting jointly assessed approximately 75 doctoral projects prepared by doctoral candidates from countries around the world.

Research, Practice and the Future of Social Support

The programme also included discussions on current developments in research and practice in social work, social policy and social support. The international format of the meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experiences concerning both the conduct of academic research and the preparation of early-career researchers to work in a rapidly changing social environment.

“International assessment of doctoral projects is not only an important part of doctoral researchers’ academic development, but also a valuable tool for strengthening quality and cooperation across borders. The meeting in Warsaw created a space for bringing together different research perspectives and for discussing how research can respond to contemporary social challenges,” the event organisers emphasised.

APS Has Been Part of the TiSSA Network Since 2019

The Maria Grzegorzewska University has been cooperating with the TiSSA network since 2019, including through expert participation in the network’s Steering Committee. Hosting this year’s meeting in Warsaw represents another important step in this long-standing international cooperation.

The event was organised by a Local Organising Committee comprising the APS Doctoral School, the Janusz Korczak UNESCO Chair and the Doctoral Students’ Council, with the support of the Student Research Group of Physiotherapy.

The TiSSA meeting in Warsaw demonstrated that international cooperation in doctoral education can play an important role not only in improving the quality of research, but also in developing a shared reflection on the future of social work, social policy and social support systems.

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