‘Inspiring Conversations’: A Comparative Analysis of the Involvement of Experts by Experience in Italian and Scottish Social Work Education

The involvement of service users and carers, Experts by Experience (EBE), in social work\r\neducation at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, and the University of Dundee,\r\nScotland, is rooted and connected epistemologically and pedagogically. Differences\r\nemerge in how these roots are manifest in the models of EBE involvement adopted in\r\nthe two universities. This article explores these similarities and differences through discussion\r\nof the different models of EBE involvement in use at the two European universities,\r\nand thus provides a comparative European insight into approaches, experiences and impact\r\nof EBE involvement in social work education. The authors contextualise the pedagogy\r\nand core values underpinning EBE involvement and introduce the concept of\r\n‘inspiring conversations’. The comparative analysis is centred on five areas of EBE involvement\r\nin social work education: context and types of involvement; recruitment of EBE;\r\nroles and responsibilities of EBE; resource implications; and impact and outcomes of involvement.\r\nThe article calls for a focus on ‘Coherence’, ‘Prudence’ and ‘Sustainability’ as a\r\nfoundation for other universities to enhance their social work programmes through cultivating\r\nEBE involvement to co-create knowledge to inform future innovative practice.