Croatia is preparing to set up a major funding programme for social innovation

Section: Management including Cross-Project Activities

The Ministry of Economy and other partners from Croatia with the support of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission organised a Best practice sharing seminar on October 24^th  in Zagreb. The purpose of this seminar was to share examples of best practices in OECD and EU member countries with local stakeholders. Various examples of potential policy instruments to support Triple Helix partnerships for social innovation were displayed. Participants took part in discussions and network sessions with the experts and amongst each other.

The event was part of an ongoing project to set up a coherent and ambitious social innovation policy for Croatia. It is expected that the programme will be launched next year with estimated funding of 40 mio. EUR available until 2020.

Triple Helix for Social Innovation Project: Best practice sharing seminar

Zagreb, October 24, 2014

Keynote to Session 1:

EU policies in support of social innovation: Stepping stones towards inclusion of social innovation in evolving innovation systems

Josef Hochgerner, Centre for Social Innovation, Vienna

At present social innovation (SI) receives increasing attention, and is promoted through competitions, awards and networks established based on private or public support. Nevertheless social innovation still remains a poor relative compared to »Innovation Systems« which are in place since long for the advancement and financing of all types of business innovation, mainly pushing forward novel features of technologies.

Moreover, acceptance, promotion and concepts of social innovation differ a lot between various regions and countries in Europe. Such differences can be analyzed on the one hand against the historic background and national traditions of more or less developed welfare systems. On the other hand, the most pressing societal challenges (e.g., increasing poverty, economic crisis, climate change) are convincing arguments across Europe that social innovation becomes as important – in all sectors of society – as business driven innovations in the corporate sector.

The keynote addressed issues of conceptualizing SI as part of an extended paradigm of innovation, the gradual inclusion of social innovation in prevailing innovation systems, and highlighted current trends and examples on European and national levels.

Authors: Hochgerner (external Senior Advisor), J.

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Tags: social innovation, Southeast Europe