Project Description

The SOLID project is aligned with the United Nations' global Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Project Objectives

1) Consolidation and Expansion of the Network

The SOLID network is consolidated in each partner country, includes universities and stakeholders from politics, science and the NGO sector and extends to the local, national and regional level. In each partner country, there is an intensive partnership with NGOs (especially community organisations of particularly affected population groups), as well as with drug aid institutions. Cooperation with other universities in the country and between the participating countries is also promoted.

The SOLID network promotes the exchange of content on social work, for example through the exchange of experts from the partner universities in the form of research and practical visits. The network addresses overarching topics such as dealing with tobacco smoking and reducing tobacco-related health damage, as well as the involvement of social work in the prevention of smoking and the promotion of non-smoking or harm-minimising measures (such as switching to e-cigarettes).

2) Development of Curricula and Expansion of Teaching Capacities

In-depth courses, modules, lectures and laboratories on the topics of the SOLID network are anchored at each partner university. The aim of the SOLID network is to develop educational programmes in the areas of addiction treatment, communicable diseases, prison and social work. We are in constant contact with our project partners and discuss the development and implementation of teaching activities (courses, labs, workshops and training) at the partner universities. This process of anchoring new learning and teaching modules is to be continued and institutionalised in the next phase through study programmes in social work/social medicine coordinated by the university administration in cooperation with the responsible science ministries.

3) Consolidation and Expansion of Knowledge Transfer

Knowledge transfer (theory-practice-theory transfer) is realised in all partner countries through close cooperation between the universities and practice partners on the basis of the SDGs and built up over the long term.

Social work is a practice-based teaching and research area. The dissertation projects of SOLID doctoral students and the joint research activities relate to the further development of social programmes and services for people with drug addiction and other marginalised and stigmatised groups. The alumni of the doctoral programme and the summer schools are involved in order to establish robust practical references and an exchange between applied research and practice.

4) Continuation and Expansion of the Doctoral Programme

The doctoral programme on social work, drug treatment, communicable diseases and people in closed institutions has been consolidated at the partner universities. In the second project phase, a preparatory course on writing an exposé is offered for prospective doctoral students. Participants can then apply for the SOLID doctoral programme. To this end, a selection procedure will be carried out with certified participation in e-learning courses on the SOLID project's specialist areas using the extensive resourcesalready available on the SOLID website.

5) Establishment of (Trans-)national Research Networks for Applied Research

The partner institutions in Central Asia and China have established local and national networks for the implementation and promotion of applied research in the field of social work. In the second phase of the SOLID project, the transnational research network between the partner countries has been expanded and institutionalised.

The strengthening of research networks also benefits the theory-practice-theory transfer, as NGOs have been involved from the start of the project. In general, the aim is for all important stakeholders (universities, international organisations and national NGOs) to be represented in this network.

6) Development of a Knowledge Hub with Strategies for Dissemination

A multilingual knowledge hub on the topics of social work, treatment of drug addiction, communicable diseases and social work in closed institutions has been set up online and made available to a broad public.

The SOLID Knowledge Hub is a further development of the existing project website. Here, all the resources already created by the SOLID project (publications, e-learning courses, video materials) are brought together in a comprehensive portal. In order to facilitate communication and cooperation in the partner countries, the most important publications will be translated into Russian and Mandarin (the two most important languages in the region).

The platform is intended to ensure sustainable and user-friendly cooperation within the network and beyond.

7) Anchoring SOLID Topics in the Interdisciplinary Discourse on Development Cooperation in Partner Countries

The SOLID network promotes the anchoring of the core topics in the interdisciplinary discourse on development cooperation in the partner countries through intensive cooperation with international organisations and political actors in the partner countries.

8) Strengthening Public Relations Work to Promote the SOLID Objectives

Various public relations channels are used to disseminate the SOLID network and its objectives. The scientific publications, in particular the dissertation projects and the resulting articles and book publications, are central elements of this. In addition, the further expansion and ongoing development of the Knowledge Hub online is intended to support cooperation between various project stakeholders and further increase the visibility of the project.

9) Anchoring the Annual "City Health Conference" to Exchange Information on Health Issues at Municipal Level

The "City Health Conferences" in 2023 in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and 2024 in Shanghai (China) have given the SOLID project great visibility at international and local level. The successful format of the City Health Conferences will therefore be continued in the second project phase.

10) Expansion of Research-Related Processes

New project management components have been established in the SOLID network to ensure that the programme objectives of the SOLID project are successfully achieved.

In addition to the proven monthly meetings of the scientific coordinators (SCs) of the partner countries, an internal university advisory board will be established at each partner institution to ensure the continuity of the projects at the partner institutions. In addition, a scientific advisory board will be convened with the participation of international experts and NGOs in order to achieve independent quality assurance.