Academic presents Social Work research at renowned Indian University

A University of Wolverhampton academic ensured that her research was going the distance by travelling to a prestigious university in India to present her findings. 

Dr Mahuya Kanjilal, a Postgraduate Research Tutor in the University’s School of Society and Community, was invited to visit Visva-Bharati University of India to present her research to Master’s degree students studying Social Work. 

Mahuya is a social researcher specialising in community participatory research with minority ethnic communities in the UK. Her main focus is engaging diverse communities in academic research and including service users’ voice. She has delivered research projects for local authorities, clinical commissioning groups and social service providers for the past 10 years. 

Visva-Bharati University is a renowned university in India founded by Nobel Laurate Rabindranath Tagore in 1921. Alumni of the university included Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, and Oscar winner Satyajit Ray. Nobel prize winner, Professor Amartya Sen also started his early education at the Patha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati affiliated school.   

Visva-Bharati University is one of the oldest and prime institutes of Social Work in India. Following past years' engagement with the department, Dr Mahuya Kanjilal was invited to present her research to MA Social Work students in early March.  

Professor Asok Kumar Sarkar, Head of Social Work at Visva-Bharati University, introduced Dr Kanjilal to the students. She said: “It really was a lively and interactive session with more than 70 attendees. Doctoral and post-doctoral scholars also joined to exchange research ideas." 

Dr Kanjilal said: “I discussed the importance of social work research and how that is embedded in teaching by sharing some of my participatory research examples such as Mend the Gap on Direct Payments and Brookside Safer Street: Community Participation and Evidencing Change and My Life My Memories. Students were particularly curious to know more about the visual report which I adopted for disseminating research findings in an accessible format.” 

The visit laid the groundwork to create further collaborations with the Social Work department of Visva-Bharati in future. 

Anyone interested in courses being offered should check out the website or register for one of our forthcoming Open Days.     

Picture caption: Dr Kanjilal is third from the right.

ENDS