Various international social factors and events influence the movement of citizens of different countries around the world, as a result of which social workers face certain challenges when communicating with citizens from other countries in their daily activities. Working with representatives of different nationalities affects the working patterns of social workers. Adapting to change, social workers keep updating their knowledge so that their ability to help is not limited by a lack of competences.

Virginija Kondratavičienė, Head of the Department of Social Work of the Faculty of Arts and Education of Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI) and Valentina Demidenko, lecturer of the department, the director of the social services centre of Jonava district, participated in the international training “Interculturality in social work: peculiarities of organising services for migrants”, organised by Pagkyprios Syndesmos Stirixis Oikogeneias Kai Paidiou KIBOTOS (Cyprus). The training was conducted by the professor of the University of Nicosia, who coordinates the Social Work study programme, Dr Stefanos Spaneas.

During the training, a good practice sharing visit was organised to the Social Services Centre CODECA (Center for Social Cohesion Development and Care), during which an important contract was signed on the new Erasmus+ exchange programme project “Enhancing Intercultural Communication Skills and Competences for Social Workers in the Provision of Assistance for Forced Migrants”, in which the lecturers of the Department of Social Work will participate as partners.

During the visit to Cyprus, the Head of the department V. Kondratavičienė and the lecturer Assoc. Dr V. Demidenko met with representatives of the University of Nicosia and Frederick University, which prepare social workers, and discussed the possibilities of students’ studies and practices, the implementation of international projects and applied research.

Foreign partners were invited to the Department of Social Work for teaching visits, and also encouraged to participate in the international week of the Faculty of Arts and Education “A Week of Global Learning”, which will take place on 4–8 December.