Masateru Higashida, PhD
Associate Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Shimane University

Shimane University
1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue, Shimane,
690-8504 Japan

Dr Wanwadee Poonpoksin
Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Administration, Thammasat University, Thailand

Dr Wanwadee Poonpoksin is an esteemed Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at Thammasat University, Thailand. She holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and a degree in health education from Thai universities. After working at the Provincial Public Health Office, she obtained a Master of Social Work (Medical Social Work) from Thammasat University in 2001, where she currently teaches. She later served as a visiting researcher at the Asian Research Institute for International Social Work at Shukutoku University in Japan, earning her doctoral degree in Social Welfare in 2019.

1) Poonpoksin, W. (2018). Equal Health Opportunity for Unskilled Migrant Workers within Limited National Healthcare Scheme in Thailand's Context. Asian Social Work Journal, 3(4), 13-18.
2) Higashida, M., Poonpoksin, W., Paul, K., Das, T. K. et al. (2023). An exploration of contextually relevant curricula in international social work education: learning from the experiences of selected Asian countries. Discover Global Society, 1(1), 6.

Prof/Dr Tulshi Kumar Das
Department of Social Work, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Tulshi Kumar Das, PhD is a professor of social work at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. He has widely published articles with Sage, Wiley-Blackwell, Taylors and Francis, Springer, Oxford University Press, Primrose Hall, Australia, ACCB Publishing, England. He has completed research projects relating to domestic violence, indigenous social work, natural disasters, food security, ethnicity, human rights, nationalism, etc. sponsored by Comic Relief Fund, UK, FAO, Ministry of Social Welfare, European Commission, USAID, GIZ/ EPOS (Germany), Japan College of Social Work, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), DFID, UK, and Bangladesh University Grants Commission.

1) Das, T. K., Mehta, B., Nikku, B. R., Omer, S., & Granich, S. (2023). Decolonizing South Asian social work: an analysis. Social Work Education, 42(5), 601-619.
2) Hatta, Z.A., Saad, Z.M., Das, T.K., Ali, I., Hossain, M.A., & Yahaya. M.H. (2021). Islamic and local knowledge on social work in Malaysia and Bangladesh. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 40(4), 475-493.

Assoc. Prof. Krittebas Paul
Department of Social Work, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Krittebas Paul has been working as an Associate Professor of Social Work at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh. He completed BSS(Honours) and MSS in Social Work from the SUST and also achieved an MSc with Distinction in International Project Management from Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK. He published a number of articles and book chapters and presented papers at national and international conferences. His research interests span social services, waste pickers, disability, social work field practicum, international social work, etc.

1) Paul, K., & Das, T.K. (2024). Interruptions, Interventions and Innovation in during COVID-19 in Bangladesh. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 18(1).
2) Das, T. K., Paul, K., & Bhattacharjee, P. (2024). What happened to field practicum in social work education during COVID-19? Evidence from Bangladesh. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 18(1).

Dr Muhammad Ashker
National Institute of Social Development (NISD), Sri Lanka; Villa College, Maldives

Dr U.L.M. Ashker is an academic and practitioner specialising in social work, sociology, psychological counseling and screening, and law and human rights. With over 15 years of experience in research, teaching, and professional practice, he has worked extensively in child protection, clinical social work, psychosocial screening and interventions, and conflict resolution. His research focuses on social work, child abuse, juvenile delinquency, reinforcement and punishment of children, and community empowerment, contributing to policy advocacy and social reform. Actively engaged in social work education and practice across South Asia, Dr. Ashker has expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, emphasising evidence-based interventions and community-driven solutions.

1) Ashker, U.L.M., & Ling, C. (2022). COVID-19 and the education of children with hearing impairments: Reflections from social work placement. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Work (National Institute of Social Development).
2) Ashker, U.L.M. (2024). Introduction: An Examination of the Past and Future Potential of Social Work Education in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka School of Social Work. In Higashida, M., Attanayake, S., Ranaweera, A., & Ashker, M. (eds.). Exploring Alternative Social Work Knowledge Based on the Narratives of Practitioners from Sri Lanka (pp.5-13). Osaka: Osaka Metropolitan University Press.

Ms Varathagowry Vasudevan
National Institute of Social Development (NISD), Sri Lanka

Varathagowry Vasudevan is the director of training for the National Institute of Social Development (Sri Lanka School of Social Work), at the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment of Sri Lanka. She obtained her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Jaffna and her postgraduate diploma in applied sociology from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. She obtained a master's degree in social work specialising in family and child welfare from the Tata Institute, Mumbai, India. Her master’s degree in public management is from the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration. Her experience as a senior lecturer and director in training in social work has contributed to her grounded and contextualised thinking concerning the advancement of social work education and training. She introduced reflective learning journal for undergraduate and postgraduate field education programmes at school of social work in Sri Lanka. She was a Board Member of APASWE in the years 2013-2017.

1) Higashida, M., Poonpoksin, W., Paul, K., Das, T. K., Vasudevan, V. et al. (2023). An exploration of contextually relevant curricula in international social work education: learning from the experiences of selected Asian countries. Discover Global Society, 1(1), 6.
2) Vasudevan, V. (2024). Harnessing and Optimising Fieldwork Through Indigenous Supervision: A Reflective and Reflexive Approach. In Higashida, M., Attanayake, S., Ranaweera, A., & Ashker, M. (eds.). Exploring Alternative Social Work Knowledge Based on the Narratives of Practitioners from Sri Lanka (pp.81-87). Osaka: Osaka Metropolitan University Press.

Ms Manjula Wijesekara
National Institute of Social Development (NISD), Sri Lanka

Manjula Wijesekara is a Senior Lecturer and the Director of Quality Assurance at the National Institute of Social Development (NISD), Sri Lanka. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from NISD in collaboration with Queen’s University, Canada, and a Master of Social Sciences (MSSc.) from the University of Kelaniya. With a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and diplomas in Counseling and Professional Social Work, she has extensive expertise in social work education, research, and quality assurance. Her academic and professional contributions focus on social work practice, higher education quality standards. With over 18 years of experience in research, teaching, and professional social work practice, she is committed to advancing evidence-based approaches to social work practice and strengthening quality standards in social work education.

1) Wijesekara, M. (2020). Social Work and Social problem in Sri Lanka future directions for Social Work education. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Work (National Institute of Social Development, 4 (2), 33-38.
2) Wijesekara, M. (2022). Domestic violence against women in Sri Lanka during COVID-19 period and social work intervention. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Work (National Institute of Social Development), 6 (1), 22-29.

Ms Ishari Gunarathna
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Ishari Gunarathna has been working as a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya, since 2021. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 2010 and obtained MSc in Development Communication and Extension from the University of Peradeniya in 2015. Currently reading for her Master of Social Work at the University of Peradeniya and her areas of interest are Social Work and Direct Practice Methods, Social Work and Disability, and Community Development.

1) Gunarathna, I., & Premarathne, P. (2024). Sensitisation of Disaster Relief Operations Towards Persons with Disabilities. In Climate-Related Human Mobility in Asia and the Pacific: Interdisciplinary Rights-Based Approaches (pp. 51-68). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

Prof Mohamed Thahir Mohamed Mahees
Department of Sociology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Prof Mohamed Thahir Mohamed Mahees earned B.A. Hons in Sociology from University of Peradeniya in 1999, M.A. Research Degree in Environmental Sociology from University of Colombo in 2007, PhD in Water Resource Management from Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya in collaboration with Crossing Boundaries Project of Netherlands in 2011, Postgraduate Diploma in Counseling in 2018 from Faculty of Education University of Colombo. He is interested in environmental sociology, water resources management, political ecology, development politics, human wildlife conflicts, social harmony, volunteerism, and students' counseling.

1) Mahees, M. T. M. (2021). Politics of Corona Pandemic in Sri Lanka: A Sociological Analysis. Technium Soc. Sci. J., 20, 867.
2) Mahees, M. T. M. (2018). Socio-Cultural Aspects of Solid Waste Crisis in Sri Lanka. Colombo Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Research, 3(2).

Dr Vinay Kumar
Department of Social Work, Central University of Jammu, Rahya-Suchani (Bagla), India

Dr Vinay Kumar is Faculty at Department of Social Work, Central University of Jammu, India. He has graduated from Hans Raj College, and is an alumnus of Delhi School of Social Work (DSSW), University of Delhi, India where he did his Masters’ and Doctoral Studies. He is also an alumnus of Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (IGCS) supported by DAAD, Germany. He has previous worked with various organisations like University of Delhi, Parliament of India, Coal India Limited, Centre for Environment Education in different capacities. He is Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative (DEI), European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE), Italy. Also, He is life member of IASSW, Italy and NAPSWI, India. His areas of interest are International Social Work, Environment and Development, Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Management, Lives, Livelihoods and Social Capital, Community Engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility.

1) Kumar, V., and MA, S. (2023). Climate Change Action through Visual and Performing Arts: A Perspective for Social Transformation. ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 4(1), 1492-1499.
2) MA, S. and Kumar, V. (2023). Transforming Care: Individual Social Work in Post-Conflict Zones for Children and Youth. Social Work and Education, 10(3), 306-314.

Dr Muhammad Jafar
Department of Social Work, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Dr Muhammad Jafar is currently serving as Associate Professor. He earned his PhD and went to from Universiti Sains Malaysia. He has presented research papers in international conferences held in Malaysia, Thailand and Japan. He has published in peer reviewed national and international research journals. He is also serving as reviewer with international research journals in the field of social work. He has served as principal investigator with UNDP in its social audit survey. His research interests include social protection, social development and social work education and curriculum.

1) Jafar, M., Hatta, Z. A., & Nikku, B. R. (2018). Integrating welfare economics in social work curriculum: a Malaysian case. Social Work Education, 37(5), 652-664.
Jafar, M., Shoukat, A., & Wattoo, I. U. (2021). Incorporation of Religious Knowledge and Spirituality into Social Work Education: A Case of Pakistan. Journal of Religious Studies (UOCHJRS), 5(1).

Dr Md. Isahaque Ali
School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

Dr Ali currently working as a Senior Lecturer of the Social Work School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia. Prior to current designation, he was a Senior Lecturer in the Sociology and Social Work Department, Gono University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was also a former Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Social Work Programme, School of Social Sciences, USM between 2015-2016. In addition, he was an Honorary Research Fellow with the Comparative Research Programme on Poverty (CROP), International Social Science Council (ISSC) and University of Bergen (UiB), Norway between 19th January 2015 and 31st December 2018. His research interests in Community Development, Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy and Social Policy.

1) Ali, I., & Hatta, Z.A. (2014). Zakat as a Poverty Reduction Mechanism Among the M uslim Community: Case Study of B angladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 8(1), 59-70.
2) Ali, I., & Hatta, Z.A. (2012). Women's empowerment or disempowerment through microfinance: Evidence from Bangladesh. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 6(2), 111-121.