A recent collaboration between an Australian Social Work course and a Social Work course in Germany has illustrated emerging network formation which will lead to joint teaching and exchange opportunities between staff and students. It will also include the opportunity to apply for Erasmus+ funding for the development of a joint degree programme in social work practice. This presentation describes the process of network formation with illustrations from teaching experiences, curriculum design, programme development and research project planning.

A fortuitous meeting at a Social Work Symposium brought together social work academics with common experiences in teaching innovative practices in Australia and Germany. These practices are founded on Freirean pedagogies which have challenged the standard university curriculum design and process by engaging students and staff together as co-learners and co-curriculum designers.

Co-teaching across Germany and Australia followed initially involving two Australian academics with other colleagues later providing co-teaching activities. The teaching activities covered exploring the experiences of educational equity in Australia and Germany where equity is affected differently by race and class, and later school social work experiences in the different country settings.

Exchange visits by academics followed with the German colleague spending time in Australia and colleagues from Australia visiting and teaching in Germany. It is intended to explore how students may also engage in exchanges.

The network expanded into the whole Discipline of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth and has resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Fachhochschule Dortmund).

Research into the curriculum practices is planned to evaluate the processes used in the award winning unit at UWA and the unit at Fachhochschule Dortmund.

A proposal to collaborate in applying for Erasmus+ funding to develop an International Masters of Social Work course also involving Norwegian partners is in train. This International Masters programme will invite students and staff from around the world to participate in the course which is designed to focus on culturally responsive practices in child and family welfare, a key focus area for social work policy and practice.

This presentation will outline the process undertaken over the two year of the network development with illustrations from each of the teaching, curriculum design, research activities and programme planning and provide an assessment of what worked and what systems and processes for network formation across countries need some further attention. It will also invite feedback from audience participants on their experiences of international networks as to what they have found works and what needs further attention.

Keywords: Social work education, curriculum design, international network development.