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Dortmund University of Applied Sciences cordially invites you to attend the international conference Sustainable Development Goals, Global Transformation and Social Work Practice. The focus will be on the United Nations global sustainability goals (SDGs) and the question of how partnerships can be effectively structured at both the local and global levels.
The two-day event brings together stakeholders from academia, practice, civil society and politics. Universities, research projects, students, NGOs and individual initiatives are invited to present and discuss their ideas, experiences and strategies in the context of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Special attention will be given to:
- Global and local action strategies for implementing the SDGs
- Cooperation between universities, NGOs and partners in the field
- Innovative micro-projects and individual contributions from students and researchers
- Interdisciplinary perspectives on social work and related disciplines
The aim of the conference is to create a lively space for exchange and networking in order to develop joint paths towards sustainable global transformation.
Conference part of an exchange program
The conference is part of an 10-day exchange program for students and lecturers in social work and is sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) ). In addition to the two-day academic program, numerous civil society actors will participate and visit networks, educational programmes and institutions related to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Conference program
04.11.2025
| Time | Designation | Presenter | Event Title |
| 09:30 – 09:45 | Host & Vice Dean: School of Social Work |
Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Opening of Conference |
| 09:45 - 10:00 | Dean: School of Social Work |
Prof. Dr. Katja Nowacki (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Welcome from the Dean of School of Social Work |
| 10:00 – 10:20 | DAAD Team | Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker Prof. Dr. Tanusha Raniga (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Dr. Maud Mthembu (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Dr. Mildred Mushunje (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Dorothée Boecker (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
Introduction by DAAD Team |
| 10:20 - 10:50 | Dean: School of Social Work |
Prof. Dr. Katja Nowacki | Child Care and Protection in Germany from an International Perspective. |
| 10:50 – 11:30 | Education specialist |
Serge Palasie (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Place in the sun – the long shadow of German colonialism |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Teabreak | ||
| 12:00 – 12:20 | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Nosihle Mabika | Reducing inequality in children through Early intervention services: Opportunities and Gaps |
| 12:20 – 13:00 | Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Prof. Dr. Christine (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Graebsch (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
Access to justice for prisoners and in migration law |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch | ||
| 14:00 – 14:15 | Vice Rector: University of Applied Science |
Prof. Dr. Stephan Weyers (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Welcome from Rector of the University of Applied Science |
| 14:15– 14:35 | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Busisiwe Sambo | Community-based prevention and early intervention program for vulnerable children |
| 14:35 – 14:55 | Midlands State University |
Prof. Dr. Mzwandile (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Sobantu (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
What’s with housing in(and) social work? Bridging the micro-macro divide towards achieving sustainable development goals |
| 14:55 – 15:15 | Midlands State University; Institute of Women Social Workers |
Dr. Mildred Mushunje Hazel Kandima (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Kudzai M. Imbayarwo |
The Hurukuro Model: Advancing mental health and gender equality through culturally rooted and sustainable Social Work practice |
| 15:15 – 15:40 | Executive Director: School of Social Work |
Dr. Noel Muridzon (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
Meeting Zimbabwe's commitments to SDGs through National Development Strategy 1: Fact or myth? |
| 15:40 – 16:00 | Host & Project Coordinator Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker Dorothée Boecker |
Program for the next conference day and following weeks |
05.11.2025
|
Time |
Designation | Presenter | Event Title |
| 09.30 -10:00 | University of Johannesburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
Prof. Dr. Tanusha Raniga Dr. Maud Mthembu |
Reflection Day 1 Program Day 2 SDG Conference |
| 10:00 - 10:20 | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Dr. Bongane Mzinyane | Strengthening Institutions for Peace and Justice: An exploratory contextual study on the daily implementation of Adult Diversion in a rural district in South Africa |
| 10:20 – 10:40 | North West University |
Dr. Leandi Erasmus (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Addressing transgenerational social dysfunction and developmental stagnation through a defragmented novel African Social Work approach |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | Midlands State University; Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Dr. Mildred Mushunje Dorothee Boecker |
Confronting the remnants of colonialism and the impacts on the decolonising agenda: a case study of Germany and Zimbabwe |
| 11:00 - 11:20 | Teabreak | ||
| 11:20 – 11:40 | Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Anna Lena Neufeld (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Institutional Integration Services of Providers of integration assistance and their effect of social and economic sustainability. |
| 11:40 – 12:20 | Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Tilmann Levi Hüppauff (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) | Need satisfaction within planetary boundaries: Using real-world laboratories to put sufficiency into practice |
| 12:20 – 13:00 | Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Prof. Dr. Jan Christoph (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Albrecht (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
Sustainable Project Management and its applicability to small-scale projects of development cooperation |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch | ||
| 14:00 – 14:20 | University of Malawi |
Felix Mokowa | Transforming Malawi`s reformatory services from remedial to developmental social work: Implications on SDGs Alignment |
| 14:20 – 14:40 | University of Johannesburg, University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Prof. Dr. Mzwandile Sobantu Dr. Bongane Mzinyane |
Housing Injustice, Disaster Vulnerability and the Green Social Work Mandate in South Africa: A Pressure and Release Model Analysis |
| 14:40 – 15:00 | University of Johannesburg |
Prof. Dr. Tanusha Raniga Thembeka Somtseu (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
Community solidarity, care and support for older women in Mount Fletcher, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Fachhochschule Dortmund |
Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker Dorothée Boecker |
SDG Partnerships Goal 17 The role of partnerships in achieving sustainable development goals. Networking between science, research, society, and NGOs. |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | DAAD Team | DAAD Team | Reflection with the group, Program and way forward |
Whole 10-day exchange program
| 04.11.2025 | Tuesday | |
| 09:30 – 16:00 | International Conference (See detailed program above) |
University of Applied Science Fachhochschule Dortmund Senatssaal Standort SON |
| 05.11.2025 | Wednesday | |
| 09:30 – 16:00 | International Conference (See detailed program above) |
University of Applied Science Fachhochschule Dortmund Senatssaal Standort SON |
| 06.11.2025 | Thursday | |
| 10:15 – 11:45 | Challenges of global transformation and their impact on social work, K11 Seminar |
University of Applied Science Fachhochschule Dortmund, Room 2.16 EFS 38a |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Meet and Greet including refreshments and waffles | Worldhouse Dortmund (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) Community Center, Rosental 1, 44135 Dortmund |
| 13:30 – 15:00 | Worldhouse: Civil society groups actively participate in shaping Dortmund at the Welthaus – democratically and critically of racism, transparently and climate-neutrally, sustainably and fairly. |
Worldhouse Dortmund Community Center, Rosental 1, 44135 Dortmund |
| 15:00 – 16:00 | Thinking Decolonially, Acting in Partnership, Exploring collaborative projects and building truly equal partnerships in international development Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker, Dr. Maud Mthembu, Dorothée Boecker, Sindisiwe Mkhize |
Worldhouse Dortmund Community Center, Rosental 1, 44135 Dortmund |
| 10.11.2025 | Monday | |
| 10:00 – 13:00 | Workshop „Sidelined: Understanding and Challenging Discrimination“ |
BVB Learning Unit (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Stadion Visit | BVB Soccer Stadium |
| 14:00 – 15:30 | Borusseum | BVB Museum (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) |
| 11.11.2025 | Tuesday | |
| 10:15 – 11:45 | Classic guided tour of the Palace of Labour | LWL Museum Zeche Zollern (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) , Grubenweg 5, Dortmund |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Meet and Greet including refreshments and light lunch | Nordstadtgalerie (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) , Bornstr. 142, Dortmund |
| 13:30 – 15:00 | Workshops to SDG 5 “Where are the women leaders? - A global dialogue on gender equality in social sector leadership” Romina Mailaro "Inside the Man Box - Exploring Masculinity, Emotions and Social Sustainability" Marc Pomplun |
Nordstadtgalerie, Bornstr. 142, Dortmund |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Plenary session | Nordstadtgalerie, Bornstr. 142, Dortmund |
| 12.11.2025 | Wednesday | |
| 10:15 – 11:00 | The delegation from South Africa reports on the school's partner project and its cooperation in implementing the SDGs! The students from school present how they have worked on the SDGs. |
St. Jacobus-Schule Breckerfeld (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) , Wahnscheiderstr. 13, Breckerfeld |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | Workshops on SDG 10, SDG 16 and SDG 4 ‘Together against racism – embracing diversity, reducing inequality’ Dr. Maud Mthembu, Dr. Bongane Mzinyane, Dorothée Boecker SDG 10: Reduced inequalities SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions SDG 4: Quality education |
St. Jacobus-Schule Breckerfeld |
| 13.11.2025 | Thursday | |
| 10:15 – 11:45 | The delegation from UKZN is visiting a school for a conversation of the impact of music, attitude and humanity for educational institutions. |
Hildegardis-Schule Hagen (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) , Zehlendorfer Str. 19, Hagen |
Projektleitung
Prof. Michael Boecker, Dr.
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Projektkoordination
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Veranstaltungsort
Senatssaal