Dr Susan Levy

Susan Levy is Associate Dean Student Recruitment and International, and Senior Lecturer in Social Work in the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law. She is a graduate of the London School of Contemporary Dance, and completed her MA (Hons), PhD and Post-Doctoral research in Geography at the University of St Andrews. She held academic posts at the University of St Andrews, University of Edinburgh, and the Open University before moving into Social Work at the University of Dundee. Her interdisciplinary background is applied to her research and teaching. 

Susan is a qualitative researcher, experienced in using participatory and creative methods to explore a sense of belonging, place, and inclusion. Her research focuses on international social work and cultural diversity; disability; and the use of the arts for social change and communicating lived experiences. Recent British Academy funding has led to her co-editing a Special Issue for Social Work Education: International Journal on 'New Directions in Social Work Education in Africa: Challenges and Prospects' (2022), and the Routledge Handbook on African Social Work Education (2023). At a European level she is working on the Erasmus+ project, Experiential Knowledge in Higher Education; and in the UK she’s Co-I on the ESRC funded IncludeAge project. She supervises PhD and Professional Doctorate students and welcomes applications that align with her areas of research. 

During her time at the University of Dundee, Susan has been Director of Professional Doctorates, and School lead for Athena SWAN/Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. She led a successful Departmental Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of good practices in advancing gender equality.  At national level, she has contributed to the Higher Education Athena SWAN Governance Committee. 

Susan is an Associate Editor of the European Journal of Social Work, Editor of Creative Works for the Review of Disability Studies: International Journal, and an Editorial Board member and reviewer for a number of journals. She is an Academic Advisor/Reviewer for the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, and the European Science Foundation.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts; and is on the Board of Directors of Indepen-dance, an inclusive dance organisation based in Glasgow, Scotland.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Devlopment Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

• 4 Quality Education
• 5 Gender Equality
• 10 Reduced Inequalities
• 13 Climate Action
• 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Accessibility/disability
• Art and design
• Crime
• Education
• Social care
• Social work