The European Conference on Social Work Education has been an integral part of my professional journey for over a decade. As I sit here in Salzburg in 2025, presenting three papers at what marks my fifth conference attendance, I find myself reflecting on how these gatherings have shaped not only my scholarship but also my understanding of social work education’s evolving role in our interconnected world.
Milan 2015: The Foundation Years – Where It All Began
My conference journey began ambitiously in Milan, where I presented not one, but three papers. Having recently completed my PhD coursework in Social Work and getting ready for PhD defence in 2016 at the University of Manitoba, I was eager to share the research that had consumed my doctoral years. My presentations explored the intricate dynamics between instructors and students in creating effective online learning environments, introduced the innovative “Keep-Start-Stop” evaluation technique I had developed for improving Canadian social work courses, and outlined my comprehensive theoretical model for distance delivery programs.
Those three presentations established me as an emerging voice in social work education, particularly in the then-growing field of online learning delivery. Looking back, I can see how my Ukrainian heritage and my experience bridging educational systems between Ukraine and Canada informed my early focus on accessibility and distance education—themes that would become increasingly relevant in the years to come.
Paris 2017: Expanding My Pedagogical Horizons
Two years later in Paris, my focus had evolved toward more creative pedagogical approaches. My presentation on “The use of memoirs in teaching international social work practice course” represented a significant shift from my earlier technical delivery methods to more innovative content approaches. This evolution reflected my growing sophistication as an educator and my recognition that personal narratives could bridge cultural and professional boundaries in international social work practice.
The use of memoirs in my teaching represented something deeply personal to me. As someone who had immigrated from Ukraine and experienced the power of personal stories in understanding complex social realities, I understood how these narratives could transform learning experiences for students.
Madrid 2019: The Missed Opportunity That Taught Me About Barriers
The Madrid conference in 2019 marked a painful absence for me. Despite my growing reputation and the valuable contributions I wanted to make to discussions on quality in social work education, I couldn’t secure the necessary funding to attend multiple conferences. This financial barrier was a stark reminder of the challenges many international scholars face, particularly those of us from institutions with limited conference support.
Missing Madrid was especially difficult because I had established a trajectory of meaningful contributions, and I knew I had valuable perspectives to offer on the conference theme of quality in social work education. This experience taught me about the systemic inequities that exist even within our profession’s academic conferences—a lesson that would later inform my work on social justice and equity in education.
Virtual 2021: Crisis as Catalyst – Finding New Possibilities
The 2021 virtual conference marked my return, though under circumstances none of us could have imagined. The virtual format, born out of pandemic necessity, actually provided an accessible platform for my participation during increasingly challenging times. By this point, tensions in Eastern Europe were escalating, making international travel both difficult and emotionally draining.
Collaborating with my student J. Albutra, I presented “Teaching pandemic social work course in times of global public health emergency,” directly addressing one of the most pressing challenges we all faced. Additionally, my workshop with another former student and colleague, A. Dingamtar, “@EMPRSocialwork: Bridging and empowering social workers through social media in times of pandemic,” demonstrated how digital platforms could create solidarity during isolation—something that resonated deeply with my own experience of maintaining connections with my Ukrainian community during the ongoing russian invasion(not yet full scale at that time).
These presentations revealed my evolution from a distance learning specialist to a crisis-responsive educator who could use technology for social connection and professional empowerment. The virtual format, while challenging, taught me that accessibility and innovation often emerge from necessity.
Porto 2023: A Time of Difficult Choices
The Porto conference represented another absence, but this time for deeply personal reasons. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 fundamentally changed my priorities and focus. As someone with Ukrainian heritage and connections to the homeland, I found myself compelled to dedicate my time and energy to standing with Ukraine and supporting people of Ukraine during this devastating russian war.
The conference theme of “Diversity and Social Work Education: Building Bridges for Sustainable Futures” was particularly poignant, as Ukraine was literally fighting for its survival and future. During this period, I was also preparing for my upcoming sabbatical, which required intense planning and preparation. The combination of my advocacy work for Ukraine and sabbatical preparations meant that attending Porto was simply not feasible.
This absence reflected the difficult choices we as scholar-practitioners sometimes face about where to direct our limited time and energy during periods of global crisis. My commitment to Ukrainian solidarity during this time would later inform my powerful presentations at Salzburg, demonstrating how personal engagement with social justice causes can enrich our academic contributions.
Salzburg 2025: Coming Full Circle
Now, as I present three papers here in Salzburg, I feel I’ve come full circle. This conference represents not just the culmination of my decade-long journey, but a testament to my resilience in the face of ongoing challenges. After missing Porto while focusing on Ukrainian solidarity work and sabbatical preparation, my return to Salzburg carries special significance.
My presentation “Bridging social divides through equitable social work education: A pan-Canadian vision informed by two decades of practice” draws on twenty years of my professional teaching experience, from my early days as a graduate student in Winnipeg in 2005 to my current role as Associate Professor at Thompson Rivers University in 2025. This represents a significant evolution from my early focus on distance education to a broader, more systemic understanding of social work education’s role in addressing social justice.
“Stand with Ukraine: A global digital solidarity movement” reflects both my personal journey and my continued commitment to using digital platforms for social connection and advocacy. This presentation builds directly on my 2021 work with social media empowerment, now applied to the global humanitarian crisis affecting my homeland.
The collaborative presentation with M. Parsons, “Designing a ceremony-based course on gender diversity: The 9Genders framework in social work education,” showcases my continued innovation in pedagogical approaches. This work represents a sophisticated understanding of inclusive education that honors diverse ways of knowing and being—something that connects to my own experience as an immigrant scholar bridging different cultural and educational systems.
Reflections on a Decade of Growth
Looking back on this journey, I can see how my sustained participation over a decade, despite funding challenges and the impacts of war, demonstrates not just professional commitment but personal resilience. My evolution from online delivery methods to equity-focused, culturally responsive approaches mirrors both my personal growth and the broader evolution of social work education itself.
The gaps in my participation—whether due to funding constraints in Madrid or my focus on Ukrainian solidarity during Porto—serve as important reminders of the barriers that dedicated scholars face. Yet these challenges have also informed my scholarship, making my contributions more authentic and grounded in real-world experiences of struggle and perseverance.
The themes that have woven through my decade of participation—innovation, resilience, accessibility, social justice, and global solidarity—reflect not just academic interests but lived experiences. From my early focus on distance education accessibility to my current work on social connectedness and global solidarity, my conference journey tells the story of how personal experience, professional growth, and global events can intersect to create meaningful scholarly contributions.
As I continue to engage with the Salzburg conference, I’m reminded that my journey through these conferences is not just about professional development. It’s about the power of sustained engagement with a community of scholars and practitioners who share a commitment to social justice, innovation, and the transformative potential of education. Each conference has shaped not just my scholarship, but my understanding of what it means to be a social work educator in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
As the Salzburg conference continues, I’m honored to be part of this ongoing conversation about social work education’s future, knowing that my voice—shaped by immigration, technological innovation, crisis response, and unwavering commitment to justice—adds to the rich tapestry of perspectives that make these gatherings so transformative.
ECSWE Conference Locations and Themes
- 2015 – Milan, Italy
Theme: Social Work Education in Europe: Towards 2025
This conference focused on discussing the major breakthroughs and developments in the field of social work education, with a specific focus on Europe but from a global perspective. https://archive.eassw.org/2015/ https://iris.unitn.it/retrieve/e3835194-ff30-72ef-e053-3705fe0ad821/MI2015%20Abstract%20BOOK%20ISBN%209788890975318.pdf - 2017 – Paris, France
Theme: Social Work Education in Europe: Challenging Boundaries, Promoting a Sustainable Future
The conference joined a large group of European social work educators, students, practitioners, and users in interactive discussions, dialogue, and exchange of ideas and thoughts. https://iris.unito.it/retrieve/e27ce42b-f216-2581-e053-d805fe0acbaa/Book%20of%20Abstracts%20EASSW%20-%20UNAFORISParis%202017.pdf - 2019 – Madrid, Spain
Theme: Meanings of Quality of Social Work Education in a Changing Europe
The conference aimed to explore the various interpretations and implications of quality in social work education amidst the evolving European context. https://www.ucm.es/eassw2019/ - 2021 – Virtual (Online)
Theme: Innovation and Resilience: Preparedness of Social Work Education in Uncertain Times
The conference provided a forum for the elaboration of social work theories, models, and interventions, helping social workers, educators, and practitioners develop innovative educational approaches that enhance skills and knowledge to increase resilience during times of crisis and uncertainty. https://iris.unito.it/retrieve/e27ce432-7c29-2581-e053-d805fe0acbaa/Book-of-Abstracts.pdf - 2023 – Porto, Portugal
Theme: Diversity and Social Work Education: Building Bridges for Sustainable Futures
The conference aimed to create a meeting place for theoretical renewal and critical and creative pedagogies that can transform the social work curricula to meet the multiple crises of our time, such as the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and environmental destruction. https://ecswe2023.eventqualia.net/en/home/ - 2025 – Salzburg-Aigen, Austria
Theme: Social Connectedness
The conference aims to investigate the ways in which Social Work Education can foster social connectedness as an important pillar for an inclusive, democratic, healthy, and socially sustainable society. https://ecswe2025-salzburg.eu/
Dr. Kondrashov contribution to ECSWE Conferences:
Kondrashov, O. (2015, June 29-July 2). Instructors and students roles for creating an effective learning environment in social work distance delivery programs [Conference presentation]. European Association of Schools of Social Work Conference, Milan, Italy.
Kondrashov, O. (2015, June 29-July 2). Midterm students’ evaluation: Keep-start-stop technique to improve design and delivery of social work and social development undergraduate courses in Canada. Lessons learned [Conference presentation]. European Association of Schools of Social Work Conference, Milan, Italy.
Kondrashov, O. (2015, June 29-July 2). Three core components of the theoretical model for an effective learning environment in social work distance delivery programs [Conference presentation]. European Association of Schools of Social Work Conference, Milan, Italy.
Kondrashov, O. (2017, June 26-29). The use of memoirs in teaching international social work practice course: Practical implications [Conference presentation]. EASSW-UNAFORIS Conference: Social Work Education in Europe: Challenging Boundaries Promoting a Sustainable Future, Paris, France
Kondrashov, O., & Albutra, J. (2021, June 15-18). Teaching pandemic social work course in times of global public health emergency [Conference presentation]. EASSW European Conference on Social Work Education: Innovation and Resilience: Preparedness of Social Work Education in Uncertain Times, Virtual Conference.
Dingamtar, A., & Kondrashov, O. (2021, June 15-18). @EMPRSocialwork: Bridging and empowering social workers through social media in times of pandemic [Workshop]. EASSW European Conference on Social Work Education: Innovation and Resilience: Preparedness of Social Work Education in Uncertain Times, Virtual Conference.
Kondrashov, O. (2025, June 23-26). Bridging social divides through equitable social work education: A pan-Canadian vision informed by two decades of practice [Conference presentation]. European Conference on Social Work Education: Social Connectedness – Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities, Salzburg, Austria.
Kondrashov, O. (2025, June 23-26). Stand with Ukraine: A global digital solidarity movement [Conference presentation]. European Conference on Social Work Education: Social Connectedness – Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities, Salzburg, Austria.
Parsons, M., & Kondrashov, O. (2025, June 23-26). Designing a ceremony-based course on gender diversity: The 9Genders framework in social work education [Conference presentation]. European Conference on Social Work Education: Social Connectedness – Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities, Salzburg, Austria
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