The need and elements of an evolving 'system of social innovation'

Section: Management including Cross-Project Activities

The EU funded project tepsie organised a two-day experts' workshop on European Social Innovation Research in Heidelberg (Oct. 1-2, 2013; see the programme attached). It became a very fruitful convention of all running and up-coming research projects that are supported under the SSH (Social Sciences and Humanities) Thematic Programme in the 7th EU Framework Programme on RTD. A presentation of these projects and an outlook pertaining to the relevance of social innovation in the future programme Horizon 2020 was provided by the respective project officer from DG Research and Innovation, Heiko Prange-Gstöhl (ppt presentation attached here as well).

The current keynote presentation aims

• at an outline of the theoretical framing of social innovation (including its scientific definition) and its societal embeddedness,
• to shed light on the function of social innovations to close gaps between knowledge and opinions on one side, and behaviour and social action on the other side, by positioning them in a 'cultural learning cycle',
• to demonstrate the process dimension of social innovations and their contribution to social change,
• to highlight topical areas of social innovation research, and
• to underline the necessity of infrastructures for social innovation facilitation.

Concerning infrastructures to form a 'system of social innovation', as part of national/regional systems of innovation, education and training will play a major role besides research and practice. Therefore the course of study Master of Arts in Social Innovation at the Danube University Krems, which provides post-gradual academic education, is introduced as well as a 'School of Thought', the European School of Social Innovation (ESSI).

Authors: Hochgerner (external Senior Advisor), J.

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