International comparative study for mutual recognition of social work qualifications in Northeast Asia

Research Project

Project/Area Number	16K13439
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Social welfare and social work studies
Research Institution	J. F. Oberlin University
Principal Investigator	SHIRASAWA Masakazu 桜美林大学, 自然科学系, 教授 (20094477)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	中谷陽明松山大学, 人文学部, 教授 (00198128) 石川久展関西学院大学, 人間福祉学部, 教授 (80222967)
Project Period (FY)	2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000) Fiscal Year 2016: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
Keywords	ソーシャルワーク資格制度の比較 / 日本 / 韓国 / 中国 / 台湾 / 養成教育 / 試験制度 / ソーシャルワーク
Outline of Final Research Achievements	In order to compare qualification systems for social workers in Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan, we collected data on (1) basic characteristics of each country/region, (2) frameworks of the qualification systems for social workers, (3) college education for the qualification, (4) field education, (5) practice classes, (6) examinations, and (7) careers after graduation. This project has two purposes. First, we aim to enhance social work education in each of these countries/regions by understanding the similarities and differences of qualification systems for social workers there. The second and the long-term goal is to develop collaboration among these countries/regions for mutual recognition of educational credits and the qualification. There are commonalties of qualification systems which supplied by central government and percentage of successful candidates is low. Differences of systems among 4 country/region are time of field education and examination subjects.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	日本ではソーシャルワーク資格として1987年に社会福祉士が創設されたが、その後に、韓国、台湾、中国で類似の資格制度ができた。しかしながら、こうした資格制度を比較し、グローバル化の視点から、ソーシャルワーク養成教育についての相互の研究や教育の推進、実務的には留学生の単位互換の仕組みや資格の互換制度の検討が求められている。日本は先導的にソーシャルワーク資格を導入してきた以上、その責任は大きく、留学生の増加にインセンティブを与え、研究者の教育研究での交流を深めることに役立つ。最終的には、今後カリキュラムの共通化が図られていくことで、資格制度の互換制度につながっていく。