From October 27 to 31, 2025, students from various degree programs in the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences went on a field trip to Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete. The goal of the trip was to engage in a professional and cultural exchange with the Department of Social Work at the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)and gain an insight into practical fields of Social Work in Greece.
The group was accompanied by the Greek team led by professor Maria Papadakaki and Kyriaki Vagionaki from the Laboraty of Health and Road Safety.
The week kicked off at the Social Services of the Municipality of Heraklion. Marianna Kapnisaki spoke about current challenges facing Social Work in Greece and presented the Care at Home program, among other things. The students were then given their first insights into Social Work studies at HMU.
The following day, the participants attended the Greek National Day parade on 28 October, before Nektaria Pediati and Dr. Maria Papadakaki, Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, gave a lecture on the topic of long-term care in Greece. The following day, the group visited the University Hospital in Heraklion and the Center for Diagnosis, Evaluation, Counseling and Support (KEDASY) together with HMU Social Work students. Here, the students were given an impressive insight into the challenging conditions under which social workers work in Greece.
Another highlight was the presentation by Giorgios Sabrovalakis, President of the Regional Association of Social Work, who reported on current developments in the profession. The topic of migration also played an important role: Dr. Eleni Koutsouraki gave an overview of migration-related issues and practical approaches in Greece and spoke, among other things, about push-backs at Greece's borders and their legal and ethical classification.
In addition to specialist input, the intercultural exchange between the German and Greek students was not neglected. In joint discussions and encounters, they exchanged views on training paths, challenges and prospects for Social Work in both countries.
The field trip thus offered valuable insights into international fields of action in Social Work. Many of the students are already taking part in the faculty-wide certificate program "International Studies" and have signed up to the appropriate StudIP group to keep up to date with planned field trips and other international activities of the faculty.