University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
University of Ljubljana (UL) is placed in the capital of Slovenia and is the largest and the oldest University in Slovenia. UL educates critical thinking top scientists, artists and professionals qualified for leading sustainable development. The UL encourages interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary study, exchanges results of achievements in science and art with other universities and scientific research institutions across the world.
Faculty of Social Work (FSD) is the only institution educating social workers in Slovenia. It was established in 1955 and offers undergraduate, master and doctoral studies. It is well connected to the global academic and research networks and has more than 200 bilateral agreements with European universities. It offers good working environment with the opportunity to do a comparative and interdisciplinary research.
Professor Vesna Lesko拧ek
Dr. Vesna Lesko拧ek is full professor at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of social work. She holds a diploma in social work, degree in pedagogy and her master鈥檚 degree is in sociology. She has worked for 17 years as qualified social worker with abused children and youth and in 2001 she finished doctoral studies in sociology. Since 2002 she works in the academia.
Her main research interests are in welfare state, social inequality, poverty and gender. In recent years she is focusing on poverty of old people, on food charity and hunger in developed world and on violence against women and children. She has just won a research grant from the Slovene national research agency with the project Life course and everyday life of old people experiencing poverty. She lectures on gender and violence, social movements, care regimes and youth studies. Her latest co-authored book was published in 2021 with a title The right to abortion, and she co-chaired a European Conference on Domestic Violence, organised in 2021 in Ljubljana.
In ASTRA project she coordinates WP5 in Training and mobility.
Professor Darja Zavir拧ek
Professor Darja Zavir拧ek, Ph.D. is sociologist, researcher and professor at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Work. She is the chair of the Department of Social Justice and Inclusion and co-founder and professor at the international MA studies 鈥楽ocial Work as a Human Rights Profession鈥� at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Science Berlin.
She is the member of Academic Network of European Disability Experts and serves as the president of the Eastern European Sub-Regional Association of the Schools of Social Work, as part of the IASSW.
Areas of research and publishing:
gender and disability studies;
history of social work education;
diversity studies and anti-racist social work,
qualitative comparative critical methodology.
Latest books:
Roma Families (2019);
Coercive Care (2018);
Intercountry and international Adoption: a social work perspective (2012);
From Blood to Care: Social Parenthood in a Global World (2012);
Rainbow Families go to School: Perspectives of Children, Parents and Teachers (2012); 鈥淲ith Diploma it was easier to Work!鈥�
The History of social work education in Slovenia (2005);
Disability as a Cultural Trauma (2000).
She was part of the development of social work programs in Ukraine, Kosovo, Georgia and Republica Srbska in Bosnia and Herzegovina; during 1996-2005 was visiting professor at the Central European University, Budapest. Since 2014 she is member and mentor of the Southeast European Academic Women's Leadership Network.
From 2018-2019 she worked as the research technical assistance of the Oxford Public Management (OPM) and UNICEF for East Europe and Central Asia on strengthening of the social welfare workforce in the region (Enhancing Professional Competencies of Frontline Workers in the Social Service Workforce).
During 2018-2021 she is part of the EU project RISEWISE 鈥� Women with disabilities in Social Engagement (No. of project: 690874).
Recent awards:
Journal of Social Work Education, article of the year, 2017;
Hokenstad Lecture Award. CSWE, 2016;
Special award of the jury, 8th International Competition of the Child and Youth Literature 禄Auf Schmetterlings und Schwanenfuegeln芦 (for the editorial work and preface of the book: Beata Akerman, Isabella: The princess who was stuttering, 2010);
Hong Kong PolyU guest professor award, 2009;
Commission on Global Social Work Education, CSWE, 禄2009 Partners in Advancing Education for International Social Work芦, 2009.