Universities as Drivers of Social Innovation

Universities as Drivers of Social Innovation

Author: Davide Fassi

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2019-11-15

Total Pages: 315

ISBN-13: 3030311171

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This book reviews the social role of universities in their local urban contexts and describes a number of initiatives of major interest in terms of the impact achieved, the range of stakeholders involved, and the significance of the university campus and teachers as agents of change. It is divided into three parts, the first of which draws on the international literature to provide theoretical background regarding the role of universities and university campuses as drivers of and magnets for social innovation. The second and third parts each focus on four main themes of interest in the contemporary design setting: urban community gardens, social TV stations, mobile pavilions, and economic sustainability models. After a theoretical overview that also illustrates international best practices, it then focuses on the specific context of Milan, based on the pilot project recently conducted by the Politecnico di Milano, “CampUS - incubation and implementation of social practices”, which won the 25th ADI Compasso d’Oro Award (2018) in the social design category. The book is of interest to academics, students, those working at public institutions, and city policymakers.


Universities as Drivers of Social Innovation

Universities as Drivers of Social Innovation

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9783030311186

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This book reviews the social role of universities in their local urban contexts and describes a number of initiatives of major interest in terms of the impact achieved, the range of stakeholders involved, and the significance of the university campus and teachers as agents of change. It is divided into three parts, the first of which draws on the international literature to provide theoretical background regarding the role of universities and university campuses as drivers of and magnets for social innovation. The second and third parts each focus on four main themes of interest in the contemporary design setting: urban community gardens, social TV stations, mobile pavilions, and economic sustainability models. After a theoretical overview that also illustrates international best practices, it then focuses on the specific context of Milan, based on the pilot project recently conducted by the Politecnico di Milano, "CampUS - incubation and implementation of social practices", which won the 25th ADI Compasso dOro Award (2018) in the social design category. The book is of interest to academics, students, those working at public institutions, and city policymakers.


Universities, Inclusive Development and Social Innovation

Universities, Inclusive Development and Social Innovation

Author: Claes Brundenius

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-10-25

Total Pages: 405

ISBN-13: 3319437003

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This book examines the ways in which universities can play a crucial role in inclusive development, social innovation and social entrepreneurship. It aims to prove the importance of inclusive development and inclusive innovation on economic growth and demonstrate the ways in which universities can be pioneers in this area through initiatives in social responsibility and social innovation. For example, providing access to a university education without discrimination of race, gender, income status, or other factors would help to diminish the increasing income differentials currently being experienced in many countries, especially in the developing world. The research and studies included in this book provide insight into possible actions that can be taken by universities and public and private shareholders in inclusive development, social innovation, social entrepreneurship and overall regional economic and social development. Innovation is currently considered to be the most important and dynamic factor explaining growth and development. At the same time, the traditional view considering innovation as having to be commercialized at any price is being challenged. Lately, there has been growing interest in innovation in the public sector, particularly with respect to social innovations designed to reduce income inequality. To address these concepts, constant exchange of ideas and information between research groups became necessary. UniDev (Universities in Development – the Evolving Role of Academic Institutions in Innovation Systems and Development) is an international research group with researchers in twelve countries interested in the role of universities in development. This book features the results of research performed by eleven research groups from UniDev country communities, presenting in-depth and comparative case studies from universities around the world, including Latin America, Northern and Eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. This title will be of interest to students, academics, researchers, and policy makers interested in the role of universities in development, social innovation and social entrepreneurship.


Social Innovation in Higher Education

Social Innovation in Higher Education

Author: Carmen Păunescu

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-01-01

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 3030840441

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This open access book offers unique and novel views on the social innovation landscape, tools, practices, pedagogies, and research in the context of higher education. International, multi-disciplinary academics and industry leaders present new developments, research evidence, and practice expertise on social innovation in higher education institutions (HEIs), across academic and professional disciplines. The book includes a selected set of peer-reviewed chapters presenting different perspectives against which relevant actors can identify and analyse social innovation in HEIs. The volume demonstrates how HEIs can respond to societal challenges, support positive social change, and contribute to the development of international public policy discourse. It answers the question ‘how does the present higher education system, in different countries, promote social innovation and create social change and impact’. In answering this question, the book identifies factors driving success as well as obstacles. Furthermore, it examines how higher education innovation assists societal challenges and investigates the benefits of effective social innovation engagement by HEIs. The interdisciplinary approach of the volume makes it a must-read for scholars, students, policy-makers, and practitioners of economics, education, business and management, political science, and sociology interested in a better understanding of social innovation.


Regional Innovation Impact of Universities

Regional Innovation Impact of Universities

Author: Robert Tijssen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2021-05-28

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 1839100532

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Driven by European Union policy challenges, this cutting-edge book focuses upon the Regional Innovation Impact (RII) of universities, to analyse the socioeconomic impact that universities in Europe have on their hometowns, metropolitan areas and regions.


Theories of Social Innovation

Theories of Social Innovation

Author: Danielle Logue

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 1786436892

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As we grapple with how to respond to some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as inequality, poverty and climate change, there is growing global interest in ‘social innovation’ as a potential solution. But what exactly is ‘social innovation’? This book describes three ways to theorise social innovation when seeking to manage and organize for both social and economic progress.


New Frontiers in Social Innovation Research

New Frontiers in Social Innovation Research

Author: Alex Nicholls

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-09-18

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 1137506806

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This book is open access under a CC BY license. Interest in social innovation continues to rise, from governments setting up social innovation 'labs' to large corporations developing social innovation strategies. Yet theory lags behind practice, and this hampers our ability to understand social innovation and make the most of its potential. This collection brings together work by leading social innovation researchers globally, exploring the practice and process of researching social innovation, its nature and effects. Combining theoretical chapters and empirical studies, it shows how social innovation is blurring traditional boundaries between the market, the state and civil society, thereby developing new forms of services, relationships and collaborations. It takes a critical perspective, analyzing potential downsides of social innovation that often remain unexplored or are glossed over, yet concludes with a powerful vision of the potential for social innovation to transform society. It aims to be a valuable resource for students and researchers, as well as policymakers and others supporting and leading social innovation.


Connecting Civic Engagement and Social Innovation

Connecting Civic Engagement and Social Innovation

Author: Amanda Moore McBride

Publisher: Campus Compact

Published: 2020-04-03

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 1945459239

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This book offers a much-needed appraisal of two key social change movements within higher education: civic engagement and social innovation. The authors critically explore the historical and contemporary contexts as well as democratic foundations (or absence thereof) of both approaches, concluding with a discussion of possible future directions that may make the approaches more effective in fulfilling the broader democratic mission of U.S. higher education. This is an essential resource for those in higher education who wish to promote and advance social change, as it provides an opportunity to critically examine where we are with our civic engagement and social innovation approaches and what we might do to best realize their promise through changes in our educational processes, pedagogical strategies, evaluation metrics, and outcomes.


The Evolution of Social Innovation

The Evolution of Social Innovation

Author: Frances Westley

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2017-12-29

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 1786431157

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In a time where governments and civil society organizations are putting ever-greater stock in social innovation as a route to transformation, understanding what characterizes social innovation with transformative potential is important. Exciting and promising ideas seem to die out as often as they take flight, and market mechanisms, which go a long way towards contributing to successful technical innovations, play an insignificant role in social innovations. The cases in this book explore the evolution of successful social innovation through time, from the ideas which catalysed social and system entrepreneurs to create new processes, platforms, projects and programs to fundamental social shifts in culture, economics, laws and policies which occurred as a result. In doing so, the authors shed light on how to recognize transformative potential in the early stage innovations we see today.