Project Partners & Team

The project partners are James Cook University, Queensland University of Technology, DePaul Institute of Science and Technology (India) and Nakhon Rajabhat Ratchasima University (Thailand).

Our relationships extend beyond student exchange with the aim of maintaining ongoing mutually beneficial arrangements. For example, DIST have established the DePaul International Centre for Wellbeing with JCU and Centacare support and hosted a joint conference on Mental Health Practice in Social Work.

JCU and NRRU have facilitated two-way student exchange since 2007.

QUT has been conducting student placements in Vietnam for a number of years, based at the Institute for Community Health Research in Hue. Social Work students learn alongside peers in Public Health and Nursing to gain professional experience in health and social services in government and non-government sectors, during this three week placement. In addition, we have an on-going relationship with Handicap International in Cambodia (HIC), and will have our first 500hr professional social work placement with HIC in second semester 2015.

JCU Project Team

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Associate Professor Debra Miles (BSW, MSW, PhD) has been involved in social work education at JCU and Charles Darwin University since 1990. Her recent work includes an analysis and exploration of mutually beneficial outcomes of international student exchanges. Since 2010 Debra has coordinated a number of student exchanges to India and Thailand and has been an invited speaker on the nature of international collaboration and international social work at a number of conferences in India and Thailand.

Peter Jones (BSW(Hons), M.Ed (Adult Learning), FHERDSA) is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Human Services at James Cook University. He has been involved in social work education and curriculum development for over 15 years. Peter is a Fellow of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) and has published widely in the areas of social work education, curriculum, pedagogy and internationalisation.

Dr. Nonie Harris (ADCW, BSW, MSW(Hons), PhD) has been a social worker for more than twenty years. She is currently a senior lecturer and Honours’ Co‑ordinator in the Department of Social Work and Human Services at James Cook University where she teaches in undergraduate and postgraduate research methods and social work practice. Nonie’s recent publications focus on work-integrated-learning and student exchange.

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Dr. Narayan Gopalkrishnan (B.Com, MBA,) PhD) is a Lecturer in Social Work and Human Services at James Cook University and is an identified early career researcher. He is also a Fellow with the Cairns Institute and is the Course Coordinator for the Bachelor and Master Degree Courses in Social Work at James Cook University. Narayan’s particular area of expertise is in working across cultures and he has worked in the area of international student placements in his previous role at the University of the Sunshine Coast and at JCU.

Dr. Ines Zuchowski (BSW, PGDAE, PGCRM, PhD) is a part-time lecturer in Field Education in the Department of Social Work and Human Services at James Cook University. Ines is completing her PhD research in the area of field education. Ines has extensive practice experience as a social worker and has received three Queensland Domestic Violence Prevention Awards and an Australian Violence Prevention Merit Award. Ines’ recent research and publications focus on field education, particularly models of field education, international contexts and issues for Indigenous students.

Dr. Abraham Francis (BSW, MSW, PGDHR, PhD) is a Senior Lecturer at JCU with extensive experience in community development and mental health. He taught social work at the Delhi University in India and has been instrumental in negotiating international partnerships. Dr Francis has initiated and established many international research projects, supported a number of international field placements and has been instrumental in developing international partnerships and research collaborations with universities and organisations in South Asia

Queensland University of Technology Project Team

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Dr. Julie King (RN, Post-Grad Cert (Nursing), MPH (Tropical Health), PhD) is the first year coordinator for the Social Work Programme at Queensland University of Technology. She also coordinates both the Human Rights and International Social Work units within this programme and has extensive experience in cross-cultural teaching and research. Julie has worked internationally and has experience in working with students on international placements or professional fieldwork in Thailand, Cambodia, India and Vietnam. Julie is currently leading further collaborations in the Asia Pacific Region in areas of disability, gender-mainstreaming and professional placements

De Paul Institute of Science and Technology Project Team

Fr. George Thomas (M.A (Eng. Lit.), MBA) is the Vice Principal of De Paul Institute of Science & Technology (DIST), Kerala, India. He has been an active participant of the planning and implementation of the internationalization projects developed in DiST with different universities such as James Cook University, Australia and De Paul University, Chicago, USA. He is a keen follower of research happening in the area of Educational Administration and has been instrumental in effecting key policy changes for the Institute. He is an active member of the many associations of Higher Education Providers in India and abroad.

Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University Project Team

Ms. Piyachat Dhephasadin Na Ayudhaya (BBA (Business Administration in Accounting), MA (English Language Teaching) is the Director of the International Affairs Office at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University. In this role Piyachat is responsible for liaising with a large number of international universities and organising exchanges of students both from and into NRRU. She is currently involved in a range of activities designed to raise awareness of staff and students regarding Thailand’s participation in ASEAN. Piyachat has published collaboratively with James Cook university staff in the field of international student exchange. Piyachat will collaborate with members of the team during all phases of the research, taking particular responsibility for facilitating contacts and interactions with tertiary educators in the South East Asian region

Project Manager

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Ms. Elise Howard (B. Bus (International Trade), MSocSc (Asia Pacific Governance and Development) is Project Manager for Going Places. Her Masters research focused on Culturally Appropriate Evaluation. She has extensive experience in Project Management in intercultural environments.