Azlinda Azman, Ph.D.
Biography
Azlinda Azman is a Professor of Social Work and the Dean of School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. She is also the Convenor of the AIDS Action and Research Group, a research arm on HIV/AIDS. A fulbright scholar, she obtained her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University in 2005. In 2015 she was appointed a full Professor, making her the first and only social work professor in the country.
Nationally, Professor Azlinda is actively involved in advocating for social work education and practice and sits on various committees responsible for the development of social work in the country. On 16 March 2021, she was awarded the Social Work Academic ICON by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. She is involved in many NGOs in various capacities.
Regionally, Professor Azlinda have been actively involved in the ASEAN Social Work Consortium, representing Malaysia to provide input and expertise in the field of social work education and practices since 2016. Also active internationally, she is a member of International Federation of Social Workers, a member of Asia Pacific of Social Work Education and a member of International Association of Schools of Social Work.
Vision
PROFESSOR DR. AZLINDA AZMAN
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA (USM)
MALAYSIA
azlindaa@usm.my
PERSONAL STATEMENT
As treasurer, it is my primary role to manage funds, maintain stewardships for financial expenses and income for the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). Managing expenses diligently is paramount to ensure planned projects can be implemented within the allocated budget. Similarly, new projects proposed must be adequately reviewed to justify the financial commitment.
A treasurer should also play a significant role to help the association with income generation activities. Besides of building stronger networking
and visibility of IASSW around the globe, it is vital that IASSW maintains its financial sustainability. I see that more outreaching and membership drive, either by institution or individual members, is a basic income generation activity that must continuously be planned / strategized. As an international association, its membership distribution must be reflected accordingly. It is therefore important for IASSW to strategize series of roadshows (which currently can be easily conducted via webinars) to engage with potential social work programs / institutions, focusing on regions not currently well represented in IASSW. The biggest Asian region has great potential to be tapped. South Asia and particularly West Asia could be strategic members of IASSW. Similarly, many countries in the African continent are fast developing and has great potential.
In this time of the pandemic, online conferences, workshops, or seminars or even face to face training and capacity building programmes, addressing current social issues and social work profession’s responses are good platforms for IASSW to remain relevant and at the same time contribute to the association’s financial standing. More jointly organized intellectual discourses could be carried out with the many social work associations in different regions for better outreach for potential membership recruitment.
It would be interesting for IASSW to have patrons, chosen among the more distinguished personalities, may not necessarily just in social work field, but others who understand the role of the profession, who can financially directly contribute to the association. Such endowment could also ensure greater financial sustainability of IASSW.
Professionally, I have vast administrative experience in handling annual budgeting and expenses as the Dean, School of Social Sciences, USM since 2016. Previously, I was the Head of Social Programme for nine years, and currently served as auditors, board members and trustees of several associations, which have all given me the exposure to be financially literate.
I am confident and will contribute my best as treasurer of IASSW, ethically and
professionally.