Dublin City University (DCU) in Dublin, Ireland, from its founding has pursued innovation, career preparation, and serving the surrounding community and broader society. DCU has one of the most extensive internship programs in the country, preparing students for the workplace. It has spearheaded efforts to expand access and has extensive community-based research aimed at addressing pressing local issues that reflect broader societal challenges. The demands of sustaining remarkable success in teaching and community engaged research, as well as a new generation of faculty, is raising questions as to whether DCU should now compete with prestigious peers or double down on work that is challenging conventional academic norms.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai is distinguished by its commitment to field-based learning and research. It has been at the forefront of the development of the social sciences and social work education in India for seventy-five years. TISS has benefited from the continuity of leadership and widely shared core values. It has a longstanding commitment to partnering with communities throughout India, and its fieldwork projects develop realistic solution to seemingly intractable social problems.