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On 7 December 2025, “Social Work Research for Practice, Development and Transformation: Centennial Symposium on Social Work at Peking University” commenced at Peking University. The symposium was jointly organised by the Department of Sociology at Peking University, the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the Peking University - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University China Social Work Research Centre, and the China and Global Development Network (CGDN) of APSS at PolyU. This symposium aimed to reflect on the century-long history of social work education at Peking University, honour the pioneering contributions of Prof. LEI Jieqiong and other distinguished predecessors, and foster collective wisdom to advance the ongoing development of the discipline.

Opening ceremony remarks: On the left, from top to bottom: Prof. ZHANG Yi (President of The Chinese Sociological Association), Prof. Antoinette LOMBARD (President of The International Association of Schools of Social Work), Prof. CHOW Wing Sun (Professor Emeritus of Social Work and Social Administration of The University of Hong Kong); On the right, from top to bottom: Dr Max WONG (Executive Director of The Keswick Foundation), Prof. ZHOU Feizhou (Head of the Department of Sociology, Peking University) and Prof. MA Fengzhi (President of the China Association of Social Work Education).

The symposium commenced with opening remarks delivered by Prof. JIANG Guohua, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at Peking University. Prof. Ben KU (Director of CGDN) addressed the history of collaboration between PolyU and Peking University in the development of social work education. He also moderated the Keynote Speech section titled “The Intersecting of Social Policy and Practice: The Institutional Foundations of Social Work”. Prof. Angelina YUEN-TSANG (Former Vice-President (Student and Global Affairs) of PolyU and Honorary Professor of APSS) delivered a video presentation which highlights key innovations by the pioneers over a century of social work education in the Chinese Mainland.

In the afternoon, Prof. Ben KU addressed in Session Three, “Roots and Routes: Knowledge Construction of Chinese Social Work”, presenting “Multiculturalism or Monoculturalism? Localism or Globalism? Reflections on Building Social Work of Reconciliation”. Over 150 experts, scholars, and social work professionals from China and abroad attended the symposium.

Over 150 experts, scholars, representatives from social work field, and students attended the symposium.

On 6 December 2025, the co-organisers successfully held two salons. The first salon, titled “From China to ASEAN: Echoes and Resonance in the Development of Social Work,” aimed at deepening cross-regional exchanges between China and ASEAN in the field of social work. Prof. Eric CHUI (Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology, and Head of APSS) addressed a presentation titled “Bridging for Advancement of Social Work Education: Glocalisation of Standards across Belt and Road Regions”. The delegates from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam exchanged ideas with local scholars and explored opportunities for future collaboration.

Salon on “From China to ASEAN: Echoes and Resonance in the Development of Social Work” 

The second salon, titled “New Developments in Children’s Social Policy and Social Work,” aimed to explore new approaches to advancing child social policy and social work. Prof. Eric CHUI delivered a presentation titled “Philanthropy-Driven, Evidence-Based Residential Child Care through Cross-Sector Partnerships”. Approximately 50 social work teachers and students from universities, as well as staff from social service organisations, participated in each of the two salons.