Forum for Social Innovation Sweden and established nationwide. Jönköping University, Luleå University of Technology, Malmö University, Stockholm University, Umeå University, and Örebro University are the main partners in the initiative, which is being implemented with support from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency. The platform aims to increase knowledge and create meeting places to promote social innovation, social entrepreneurship, and social enterprise.
The six universities will host regional hubs operating under the name Forum for Social Innovation Sweden. MSI’s national efforts in Malmö will gain further momentum and reach through a physical presence in Stockholm as well. The establishment and development of the knowledge platform will engage regions, businesses, innovation promoters, universities, municipalities, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and other valuable stakeholders in the area’s development. The work within the knowledge platform will focus on identifying needs for new knowledge in the field of social innovation, sharing and disseminating important knowledge and information, connecting with research, and creating opportunities for practitioners and potential practitioners in the field to meet and drive the field forward.
Generating and sharing knowledge is the core mission of higher education institutions. Collaboration with other stakeholders is an important part of higher education institutions’ mission, and it is also of great importance to develop methods and tools that create the conditions for realizing more social innovations. The Knowledge Platform’s national steering group* consists of members from the leadership of each higher education institution who view the establishment of the platform as an important part of the institutions’ core activities and collaboration mission.
–The fact that six Swedish universities are now joining forces provides both a strong regional foundation and significant potential for national growth. Malmö University and Forum for Social Innovation Sweden already Forum for Social Innovation Sweden an important role on the national stage, and this project will give the initiative a stronger regional presence, which is positive. There is also the capacity to foster international connections and attractiveness, and to make a significant contribution to the government’s strategy for social enterprises and help Sweden achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The knowledge now being generated will benefit relevant stakeholders such as regional development managers, innovation promoters, and government agencies, saysJudit Wefer, Program Manager for Social Innovation at Vinnova.
The national knowledge platform will also serve as a point of contact for international actors seeking to collaborate with Sweden on the development of social innovation. Learning, experimentation, advocacy, and the creation of forums for dialogue will be key components of the knowledge platform’s long-term work.
–Through this platform, we will be able to share experiences from north to south while connecting with the global arena for social innovation. We value the trust and strong commitment found throughout Sweden to strengthen knowledge development and establish forums for dialogue in this area. Now we can meet this need with a coordinated effort to strengthen social innovation across the country. Our ambition is to be the primary national knowledge platform that can grow over time, says Hanna Sigsjö, who is leading the initiative.
__________
*Charlotte Ahlgren Moritz (Chair), Vice President for Collaboration and Innovation, Malmö University; Agneta Marell, President, Jönköping University; Dieter Müller, Vice President, Umeå University; Mats Danielsson, Vice President for Collaboration and IT, Stockholm University; Robert Brummer, Vice President for Knowledge Transfer and Innovation, Örebro University; Viktoria Mattsson, Head of the Collaboration and Innovation Division, Luleå University of Technology