CSWE supports quality social work education and provides opportunities for leadership and professional development so that social workers are empowered to play a central role in achieving the profession’s goals of social and economic justice.

Learn more below about our mission, purpose, core values, and our 2026-2030 strategic plan.

Our Core Purpose

To ensure a well-educated social work profession equipped to advocate for and promote education, health, well-being, universal rights, and justice in a diverse world. 

Our Mission

To advance excellence and innovation in social work education, by providing leadership and scholarship, to ensure quality in teaching and learning, supporting critical thinking, empathy, and advocacy to strengthen the capacity of our membership.
 

CSWE's Core Values

Focusing on inclusivity and equity

Demonstrate behaviors consistent with anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (ADEIB) in our actions

Mindful guidance and action

Be effective stewards of our profession, our organization, and our processes

Respect for life and the environment

Respect, access, and justice for all planetary life

Standing up for social work

Innovation, foresight, transformation, collaboration, and courage to advocate and lead

Advancing excellence in education

Educational excellence that is science-based, responsive, and forward-focused

2026-30 Strategic Plan

This strategic framework was approved by the CSWE Board of Directors in June 2024.

Goal 1: AI and Technology

Anticipate the implications and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) and other disruptive technologies and position the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to be a leader in this area on behalf of social work education and the profession of social work.

 

Objectives:

  • Increase CSWE’s knowledge about AI and disruptive technologies
  • Increase social work representation in interdisciplinary technology groups
  • Increase external resources/funding and connections to AI and technology

Goal 2: Leadership Development

Develop transformative leaders that uphold our core professional values and stand with our accredited social work education programs to effect change on behalf of society.

 

Objectives:

  • Increase the number of CSWE members who have the capacity to effectively engage in and teach research-based and evidence-informed techniques related to improved communication skills (e.g., intergroup dialogue).
  • Augment advocacy efforts to better support, empower, and engage CSWE members in influencing policy.
  • Increase the communication of the value of social work education and social work as a profession.
  • Increase CSWE’s organizational capacity to provide meaningful content and experiences (e.g., professional development, educational resources, camaraderie) for members.
  • Continue our unwavering commitment to ADEIB.

Goal 3: Prioritizing Students

Become increasingly accessible and responsive to the needs of CSWE’s student members.

 

Objectives

  • Increase student representation on commissions, councils, task forces, and other volunteer opportunities, and at CSWE events (e.g., annual conference, fellows forums).
  • Increase funding and resources for student-centered initiatives.
  • Create partnerships and collaborate with student members to establish new student-centered initiatives.
  • Create profession-centered opportunities to socialize students into social work education and the profession.