Brief profile: Vishanthie Sewpaul, Chair of ASASWEI

Vishanthie Sewpaul (PhD) is a Senior Professor in the School of Social Work and Community Development, University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), Durban.  She represents ASASWEI on the Board of the International Associations of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). She is also President of the National Association of Social Workers (South Africa). She serves on the Social Work Standards Generation Body and on the Professional Board for Social Work. She was Chair of the Global Standards Committee (a joint Committee of IASSW & IFSW).  She was the chief architect of the document “Global Standards for Social Work Education and Training” which was adopted at the General Assemblies of the IASSW and the International Federation of Social Workers in Australia in 2004. Professor Sewpaul has presented keynote addresses, papers and workshops at various local, national and international conferences, and has published widely in scientific journals. She is regarded as one of the most prestigious researchers at UKZN.  She serves on the advisory committee of the Social Work Journal, the Caribbean Journal of Social Work and is currently the Deputy Editor of International Social Work.  She shares special interests in the areas of Gender, AIDS and Sexuality; Globalisation and Social Policy; Anti-Oppressive Practice and Emancipatory Pedagogy.  She is currently the Chair of the Local Organising Committee for the 34^th Global Social Work Congress that is being hosted in Durban, SA from 20 – 24 July 2008