Dr George Palattiyil is Head of Social Work at the University of Edinburgh and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His teaching and research interests are in the area of forced migration, refugees and asylum seekers, human rights, individuals affected by HIV/AIDS and older people. Much of his research over the past 15 years have focussed on the social sciences aspects of refugee health, with research undertaken in Scotland, Uganda, Jordan and Bangladesh. He is the founding Convenor of the Global Refugee Health Research Network, which aims to promote collaborative research and knowledge exchange activities. He has published widely in international journals and coedited ‘Social Work in a Global Context – Issues and Challenges (Routledge, 2016), and ‘Practice – Social Work in Action’ special issue on Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development (2024). He is a ‘member at large’ on the International Consortium for Social Development governing board; Board Member of Social Work Scotland and Institute for Research and Innovations in Social Services, and one of the three inaugural Trustees of the Joint Universities Social Work Association, the Learned Society for Social Work that provides strategic leadership to social work education and research in the UK. He has recently been commissioned as a consultant to support Jordan’s Ministry of Social Development’s project for the professionalisation of social work in Jordan (2024-2028). He is also a Senior Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy. For more info: https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/george-palattiyil

Dr Dina Sidhva is a Lecturer in Social Work at the University of the West of Scotland. Originally an academic from India, Dina got her PhD from the University of Edinburgh to. Her research over the past 27 years has always sought to amplify the voices of marginalised people. Her current research in in Scotland and Jordan primarily explores the challenges faced by forced migrants, in areas such gender-based violence, refugee women’s livelihoods and care. Recent projects include a study on the impact of COVID-19 on family carers of care home residents in Scotland funded by the Chief Scientist Office and looking at the lived experiences of family carers of people living with dementia. Dr. Sidhva has published widely in international journals and books over her career and has also been an active participant in global health discussions, contributing to WHO working groups and multiple research initiatives concerning public health and migration.

Dr. Asok Kumar Sarkar presently serves as Professor at the Department of Social Work, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan-731236, West Bengal, India. He is also Chairperson of the International Consortium for Social Development -Asia Pacific branch. He is an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Among the administrative responsibilities, he served as Head, the Department of Social Work and Principal (Dean of Faculties), the Institute of Rural Reconstruction, in the Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal. Prior to it, he was Head at the Department of Social Work, Assam University, Silchar, Assam. He has authored and edited books such as NGOs: The New Lexicon of Health Care (Concept), NGOs and Globalization: Developmental and Organizational Facets (Rawat), Human Development and Sustainability: Challenges and Strategies (Atlantic), Welfare of Disadvantaged: Exploring Community Development Approach (Concept), and Contextualizing Peace - Experiences of Contemporary India and Neighboring Countries (Manak). His forthcoming co-edited book is ‘Understanding Women’s Empowerment in South Asia - Perspectives on Entitlements and Violations’ (Palgrave Macmillan). He is the founding editor of Journal of Social Work and Social Development, a UGC-CARE-listed journal (of India) and served from 2010 to 2017. His areas of research interests include maternal morbidity, reproductive health, health care, NGOs and social development.

Dr. Vikash Kumar currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Northern Michigan University, within the Social Work Department (SWD). His expertise primarily focuses on health and social welfare policies. Dr. Kumar earned his doctoral degree in Global Health from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. His research during this time concentrated on implementing health programs targeting mental health issues and non-communicable diseases. His fieldwork, conducted across various public hospitals in Bihar, India, challenged entrenched old-world mentalities and introduced significant innovations. Dr. Kumar also holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). He is currently exploring ways to integrate technology and artificial intelligence into social work education and practice, enhancing the capacity of frontline workers, and advocating for policy improvements in nonprofit organizations. Dr. Kumar collaborates closely with students and colleagues to develop interventions that address current social issues. He serves as Director of Information Technology at the International Consortium for Social Development. His commitment to advancing social work is reflected through his dedicated career in research, education, and practice.

Olivier Grand holds a bachelor's and master's degree in social work from the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HES-SO). He has worked in social work, first in the field of disability, then in a public employment agency. He then spent several years as Secretary General of AvenirSocial, the Swiss professional association for social work, before becoming a professor at the HES-SO and Dean of the Faculty of Social Work in 2018. His interests include the history of social work and innovation in the social field.