LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completing the course, students should be able to:
- Identify and discuss social innovation initiatives that are taking place across sectors (such as the corporate, nonprofit, government or startup sector), and their origins.
- Analyze tensions between the pursuit of social and pragmatic (e.g., financial) objectives in social innovation initiatives and apply theoretical knowledge to propose appropriate ways to respond to such tensions.
- Critically assess a social challenge of their choice, and generate and justify a compelling proposal for how social innovation initiative/s could be developed to address that challenge.
- Reflect critically on the opportunities, barriers and limitations of implementing social innovation initiatives.
Credits: 6
Schedule: 07.01.2025 - 13.02.2025
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Myrto Chliova
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
Social innovation, namely the creation of social value through innovative activities, is a topic of growing interest across organizational areas. It is being practiced increasingly by social enterprises and non-profit organizations, by small and large companies, by the public sector, and by informally organized citizen groups. Areas can include the inclusion of vulnerable or marginalized groups in society and in the workforce, the alleviation of poverty, and the creation of collective benefits for communities at large. Social innovation is nevertheless a challenging objective, as multiple tensions need to be assessed and balanced or prioritized, and legitimacy established across diverse audiences and stakeholders, in order to achieve impact. These are the issues that will be covered and practiced during this course.
Learning methods for this course can include self-directed study, teamwork and peer work, case studies, class discussions led by the teacher and by student teams, and guest speaker sessions. Exact methods employed might vary from year to year.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Team assignments and Individual assignments
Also, a peer evaluation will be used to adjust individuals' grades on the team assignments, and can result in a potential adjustment of up to -1 point out of 5 of total course grade.
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
Contact hours (can include class discussions led by the teacher and by student teams, guest speaker sessions, workshops)
Individual and team work outside the classroom
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
The required readings comprise of articles, book chapters and other resources that will be available electronically via the library or instructor.
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
1 No Poverty
2 Zero Hunger
3 Good Health and Well-being
4 Quality Education
5 Gender Equality
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10 Reduced Inequality
16 Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
17 Partnerships for the Goals
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language: English
Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Spring III
2025-2026 Spring IIIRegistration:
The maximum number of students admitted to the course is 60. Students are admitted to the course in the following priority order 1) Sustainable Entrepreneurship students, 2) students accepted to the Design for Government course, Strategic Management in a Changing World students, 3) Mechanical Engineering students majoring in Product Development, 4) other students.
Completion of a pre-assignment is a prerequisite for successful admission. See course homepage in MyCourses for the deadline and instructions of the pre-assignment.
There is a requirement of a total of 80% attendance in contact sessions to pass the course.