Josephina Schmidt

Professor Josephina Schmidt serves as Professor of Theories and Methods of Social Work at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences within the Faculty of Applied Humanities and Natural Sciences (AGN), a position she has held since April 2025. Previously, she maintained a dual career as both a social work practitioner in psychiatric settings and an academic, holding teaching positions at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Stuttgart, and Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg while working in social welfare offices and residential care facilities.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Stuttgart (2007-2010), a Master of Arts in Social Work from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences (2013-2014), and a PhD from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen (2023) with a dissertation examining women's experiences in social psychiatric residential care through reconstructive and feminist methodologies.

Professor Schmidt's research focuses on reflexive and reconstructive approaches in social work, with particular emphasis on gender issues in social psychiatry, women-specific support methods, participatory approaches in social work services, and the digitalization of higher education from a social work perspective. Her work consistently bridges theory and practice, employing qualitative and reconstructive research methods to examine power dynamics, professionalization processes, and service user experiences. Her methodological expertise includes reconstructive case workshops and reflexive analysis of social work practices.

Her publication record shows consistent scholarly output across multiple domains, with increasing focus on the intersection of social psychiatry, gender studies, and educational transformation. Recent publications demonstrate her engagement with contemporary challenges including crisis management in social work, digital transformation in educational processes, and participatory approaches in mental health services. Her 2024 monograph 'Frauen in der Sozialpsychiatrie' represents a significant contribution to understanding women's experiences in psychiatric residential care.

• German Society for Social Psychiatry (DGSP)
• German Professional Association for Social Work (DBSH)
• German Society for Social Work (DGSA)
• German Society for Educational Science, Commission for Social Pedagogy (DgfE)

Professor Schmidt's practical experience in social work, particularly in social psychiatric settings (2010-2012 at Bruderhausdiakonie Reutlingen, 2018-2021 at Caritas Association for Stuttgart, and 2021-2025 at Stuttgart's Social Welfare Office), deeply informs her academic work. This integration of frontline practice with scholarly research is evident in her courses on Participation and Empowerment with People with (Mental) Disabilities, Health and Social Work, Theory-Guided Case Analyses, and Reflection on Practice, which emphasize critical reflection and participatory learning approaches.