Sciences and techniques of social work

The Quality Assurance System (QA) at Sapienza University is extensively described on the Quality Team’s web pages, accessible at https://www.uniroma1.it/it/pagina/team-qualita

These web pages outline the ten-year path developed by the University to build Sapienza’s Quality Assurance framework, detailing the adopted organizational model, the key QA actors (Quality Team, Monitoring Committees, Joint Faculty-Student Commissions, Quality Commissions for Degree Programs), the active Working Groups, the main activities carried out, and the documentation prepared for managing the processes and activities related to Quality Assurance in Teaching, Research, and the Third Mission.

Moreover, the web pages serve as a communication platform and provide reference data for Review activities, for drafting reports by the Joint Faculty-Student Commissions and Monitoring Committees, and for compiling the SUA-Teaching and SUA-Research forms.
Each Degree Program and Department is entitled to adapt the Sapienza Quality Assurance Model defined on the Quality Team web pages to their own Quality Assurance system, customizing and tailoring it to their organizational specificities while respecting the models and procedures established by ANVUR and the Quality Team.
The Degree Program and Department web pages, together with the SUA-Teaching and SUA-Research forms, represent the communication tools for implementing the Quality Assurance System at the Degree Program and Department levels.

The CDAQ (Quality Assurance Commission) of the Degree Program is the body responsible for monitoring the quality of the Degree Program through annual monitoring and cyclical review, proposing corrective actions and improvement initiatives.
The CDAQ is composed of the following members:

• Maria Grazia Galantino (Chair of the Degree Program Council)

• Lorenza Di Pentima (CDAQ Coordinator)

• Luca Slamieri (Degree Program Faculty Member)

• Francesca Farruggia (Degree Program Faculty Member)

• Nadia Girolami (Administrative Staff / Teaching Coordinator)

The Degree Program has also established a Teaching Observatory tasked with:

• Maintaining a permanent observatory on the functionality of teaching activities;

• Examining the effectiveness of decisions made by the Degree Program Council and Faculty regarding the quality of teaching and services provided;

• Developing proposals aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of teaching;

• Supporting the Quality Commission in drafting the annual self-assessment report.

The Commission is composed of one faculty member and one student appointed by the Degree Program Council. Since April 2024, the Observatory has been composed of Francesca Farruggia (faculty) and Ilaria Mecucci (student).

For designing and implementing specific initiatives aimed at improving the quality of the Degree Program, the Commission draws on the contributions of other faculty members. The involvement of adjunct faculty, particularly social workers, is also essential to continuously align the teaching quality dimension with the skills and specific abilities required by the profession.
The Degree Program, through the CDAQ and other involved faculty based on specific objectives, monitors corrective actions indicated in the review reports and monitoring forms through periodic meetings; evaluates the outcomes of their implementation, highlighting emerging strengths, potential critical issues, and necessary changes; verifies the adequacy and effectiveness of the Degree Program management; and proposes corrective actions to be introduced in subsequent reports where necessary.
It also promotes initiatives aimed at achieving specific objectives identified in the Annual Monitoring Forms.
Meetings are scheduled according to needs and at specific periods of the academic year (start, end of the first semester, etc.), in alignment with the deadlines established by the University Quality Team.

Ordinarily, the CDAQ convenes from September each year to evaluate indicators and draft the Annual Monitoring Report.
It may also meet upon request by the Teaching Observatory or by student representatives from the Degree Program, Department, or Faculty to discuss specific needs or critical issues or to plan targeted interventions. Other students or faculty may be invited to these meetings to provide more comprehensive information regarding the issues under discussion.

The Degree Program has long established numerous agreements for the implementation of professional internships with the Social Services of qualified public and private organizations in Rome and the Lazio region.

A meeting was held with the Presidency of the Order of Social Workers of Lazio, during which discussions focused on the educational content, access to the professional register, employment prospects, and potential collaborations between the Order and the Degree Program. Our interlocutors expressed broad approval of the chosen program structure.

The Degree Program was also presented to social associations and cooperatives, which positively welcomed the prospect of hosting interns within their services.

On July 9, 2008, the Faculty presented the training offer to ISFOL, SIQUAS, AISP, third-sector social cooperatives, CERFE, OAS, SISS, SOIS, AIDP, and CENSIS, receiving general appreciation.

During the final University-level consultation held on January 19, 2009, considering the results of the preceding online consultation, the participating organizations positively evaluated Sapienza’s rationalization of the educational offer. This rationalization focused not only on reducing the number of courses but also on diversifying programs within fields demonstrating high attractiveness and adequate faculty coverage. Furthermore, after a detailed review of the Faculties’ educational offer, the organizations expressed favorable opinions regarding the establishment of the individual courses.

The Degree Program in Social Work (CdS STESS) has progressively consolidated an extensive network of collaborations with representative professional organizations and with public and private social service entities. This network aims to identify the demands and needs of the profession to ensure that the educational offer remains aligned with ongoing sectoral transformations. Specifically, the CdS:

• Is part of a network involving the Council of the Order of Social Workers of Lazio and all universities in the Lazio region, which meets periodically for promotional and training activities and to discuss the progress of study programs;

• Has participated since 2003 in the National Conference of Presidents of Social Work Degree Programs. In addition to training activities and conferences on social work topics, the Conference actively participates in all national consultation tables aimed at harmonizing the needs of the profession with the Ministry’s requirements concerning degree classifications;

• Maintains privileged relationships with social work supervisors who oversee internships in over 300 public and private accredited entities nationwide. Significant feedback is received both through training and discussion activities organized by the CdS, accredited by the Order of Social Workers, and continuously through detailed reports on internship activities and students’ acquired competencies.

In preparation for regulatory adjustments, the CdS has initiated a series of consultation meetings with key stakeholders entitled “New Challenges for Social Work: Which Competencies?”. All meetings involved the President of the CdS, the CDAQ (Quality Assurance Commission), CdS faculty members, and internship supervisors. In particular:

1. The first meeting (April 9, 2024) involved national representatives from CNOAS (National Coordination of Social Workers’ Orders), CLASS (Association of Social Work Degree Programs), and key public social service entities, including:

• National Conference of Presidents of Social Work Degree Programs (board member);

• National Council of the Order of Social Workers (President);

• Social Policies and Health Department of Rome Capital (official);

• Department of Juvenile and Community Justice (managers from external penal execution and juvenile justice divisions);

• Regional Council of the Order of Social Workers (CROAS) Lazio (President);

• National Institute of Public Administration (INAPP, research manager);

• ASL Rome 1 (district director).

2. The second meeting (November 7, 2024) involved representatives from major Third Sector networks and social cooperatives active in the region, including:

• Lazio Third Sector Forum (spokesperson);

• Federsolidarietà Lazio (president);

• Parsec Cooperative and Parsec Consortium (board member);

• Ethica Cooperative (president);

• Be Free Cooperative (president);

• Meta Onlus Cooperative (board member);

• Caritas Diocesan of Rome (Coordinator for minors and family area).

3. The third meeting (November 18, 2024) involved alumni from various enrollment cohorts. This allowed for gathering perspectives from recent graduates as well as experienced social workers currently employed in institutions. The discussion on competencies to be developed within the CdS was enriched not only by the participants’ personal experiences but also by their professional expertise as internship supervisors within social work degree programs.

Overall, the consultations highlighted the need to strengthen several fundamental aspects already characterizing the course structure, namely:

• Interdisciplinary knowledge and skills drawn from sociology, law, psychology, and other relevant disciplines for analyzing the intervention context and community needs;

• Theoretical and methodological competencies in social work and social work practice, including a specific focus within the curriculum on social policies and social services;

• Linguistic, intercultural, and diversity-affirming competencies, essential for interventions in contexts characterized by multiple diversities and intersectional inequalities.