Earlier this year, Menna Kuivalainen, a social work student from the University of Eastern Finland, spent one month at Assam Don Bosco University as part of a five-credit thematic study programme titled Indian Society, Culture and Development Practice.
The programme, held from 20 January to 20 February 2026, combined academic study with field-based and intercultural learning. Working alongside students and faculty at Assam Don Bosco University, Menna explored social work practice in India through seminars, classroom discussions, community engagement and visits to organisations working in child protection and children’s rights.
During the programme, Menna participated in classes on diversity and contributed sessions drawing on her own experience of social work education and practice in Finland. These included discussions and activities related to teamwork, casework, reporting and social services.
The shared classroom experience gave students from India and Finland an opportunity to compare professional systems, approaches and challenges. It also encouraged reflection on the values that connect social work across national contexts, including human rights, community responsibility and support for vulnerable groups.
Menna’s field learning included visits to UTSAH and POCSO support services, which work in the area of children’s rights and protection, as well as Snehalaya’s child protection initiatives. She also participated in community activities, village visits and engagement with local schools.
The programme also offered an immersive introduction to the cultural and social diversity of Assam and Northeast India.
Menna joined village and community events, interacted with schoolchildren and local residents, and participated in cultural celebrations. Her time in the region also included visits to Guwahati, Shillong, Meghalaya and Manas National Park.
These experiences enabled her to observe the close connections between community life, education, culture and social work practice. Reflecting on village communities in Assam, she noted the importance of mutual support and the ways in which communities often respond collectively to individual and family needs.
Reflecting on the experience, Menna wrote:
“Sometimes you can take a leap into the unknown, experience and learn something completely new.”
For her, the programme was not only an opportunity to study social work in a new setting, but also to reconsider the possibilities of international social work and the value of learning across different professional and cultural contexts.
She highlighted the importance of exchange programmes in helping students apply theoretical knowledge to real-life global challenges and develop a deeper understanding of cultural diversity during their studies.
The visit has also helped open further conversations around student placements, academic exchange and collaboration between the University of Eastern Finland and Assam Don Bosco University.
The Nordic Centre in India was pleased to help connect the partners and support the development of the programme. Experiences such as Menna’s demonstrate how carefully designed short-term mobility can bring together academic learning, field engagement and intercultural exchange—while also creating foundations for longer-term institutional cooperation.
