University West launches new journal on work-integrated learning

- We have long considered starting an international peer-reviewed WIL journal. There hasn't been a dedicated place for those researching work-integrated learning to publish their findings. We see CIWIL as a natural place where global WIL research can be highlighted, says Iréne Bernhard, PhD in Informatics and a member of the editorial committee.

She explains that the target audience for CIWIL is deliberately broad. It is published with open access, and the editorial committee's goal is for the journal to be read by researchers, policymakers, and professionals. The hope is that eventually practitioners from outside academia will contribute texts to CIWIL, without any loss in the scientific quality of the journal.

"CIWIL" stands for Current Issues in Work-Integrated Learning and was started by KAM-AIL, the university's complete academic environment for work-integrated learning.

The goal is for CIWIL to publish one to two issues per year. Each issue will contain between three and ten scientific articles. The editors are currently working on the very first issue, which will be a "special issue" featuring prominent contributions presented at last year's WIL24 conference in South Africa. The issue will be launched in the fall of 2025.

- This journal is important in many ways. It is part of strengthening the image of University West on the global stage, thus becoming part of our brand as a knowledge institution. At the same time, it is also a way to continue the development of work-integrated learning at the university. The task for CIWIL is not to explain what WIL is, but rather what it can become, says Jan Gustafsson Nyckel, Professor of Educational Science and part of the editorial committee.

He says the future for CIWIL looks bright, although much work remains to be done. The goal is to become the journal researchers turn to for publishing articles related to the intersection of work and learning.

Another goal is to be highly ranked as a scientific publication. International rankings are an important quality assessment of publications. Achieving high rankings creates a positive spiral where increased readership attracts more researchers who want to publish articles.

The international aspect is central to CIWIL. The editorial committee consists of several prominent international researchers in work-integrated learning. Involving researchers like Stephen Billett from Australia has been a strategic choice.

- CIWIL will be a powerful tool for us to spread our WIL research on a national and international level. The fact that our systematic work with WIL and our unique doctoral program is now being complemented by a journal shows that University West is at the forefront of work-integrated learning in both education and research. Our goal is to continue making an impact globally, says Ulrika Lundh Snis, Professor of Informatics and leader of KAM-AIL.

The journal can be accessed here >>

More information about CIWIL can be found here >>