Social work field education in the United Arab Emirates: Emerging standards, opportunities, and challenges

Abstract

This article describes the current status of social work field education in the United Arab Emirates. Using a case study approach, the authors explore field education differences and commonalities between two federal higher education institutions. Although nascent, United Arab Emirate professional organizations have been established or are in the process of being established. The authors call for further development of field guidelines and standards of practice, weighing the potential costs and benefits of such standards. Practical recommendations for field education in countries where social work is an emerging discipline are also provided.