Shulamit Ramon's career culminated in academic leadership roles at the London School of Economics, Anglia Ruskin University and Hertfordshire University. Her education led to professional qualifications in clinical psychology and social work, including a PhD on defects in communication and cultural change in families where the index client had experienced schizophrenia. Significant professional contributions include experience and research in mental health, leadership in developing social work education in Eastern and Central Europe and the former Soviet Union, and work on practice in areas of political and social conflict. Her publications include work on innovations in mental health internationally, on community care in the UK and the policy of normalization, and on social work in the context of political conflict internationally. She has also created innovative postgraduate courses in mental health. Since the interview, she has continued her work in areas such as mental health, user participation, political conflict and international social work education, as well as in participatory action research focused on empowering marginalized groups.

When did you receive the award and on what basis?

I received my award in 2008 for my international work rather than for my work in any particular country. Some of it was for work on political conflict in the context of social work. That was international from the very beginning, and the other part was for the focus on involving users in social work.

What has the award meant to you?

It was nice to get and obviously an ego boost and wonderful to know that some people thought I should get it. It was not my idea, so that was pleasant. It is about professional recognition, though nothing happened afterwards to celebrate it. It became a personal thing, although my employer at the time, Anglia Ruskin University, was very pleased, and so was my Dean, and that was about it. I have not come across anyone mentioning it to me in professional circles, in England or in other countries.

Maybe it makes a bigger difference for award holders in other countries. I have to say that people, including professionals, who heard that I received it said, you well deserve it, which was nice to hear.