Shaping social work students' professional identity: ESWOCHY programme case

Abstract

This thesis explores the development of professional identity among social work students participating in the Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme in Social Work with Children and Youth (ESWOCHY). Against the backdrop of increasing global mobility, intercultural complexity, and digital transformation, this study investigates how international, interdisciplinary, and transnational learning experiences shape students’ evolving sense of self as social work professionals. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and using qualitative methodology, this research draws on semi-structured interviews with ESWOCHY students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. The study is guided by a conceptual framework that considers cognitive, emotional, and behavioural dimensions of identity, and it is thematically anchored in two of the programme’s core pillars: humanistic perspective and intercultural communication. The findings reveal that students' professional identity formation is influenced by their prior experiences, educational and intercultural exposure, values, and aspirations. Experiential learning, reflexive practice, and peer interaction in diverse contexts emerge as significant contributors to their identity development. However, the transnational character of the programme also introduces challenges, including ambiguity in role definition, fragmented institutional expectations, and varied national interpretations of social work practice. This research contributes to the understanding of identity formation in international social work education, offering insights for educators and programme designers to better support students’ professional growth. It highlights the importance of intentional pedagogical strategies and context-sensitive curriculum design to foster confident, ethically grounded, and culturally competent social work professionals.