The European Commission has approved Sweden’s application to establish a European Competence Centre for Social Innovation. Forum for Social Innovation Sweden, Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Malmö University, and four other Swedish universities, along with Reach for Change and Inkludera, will collaborate with partners from Spain, France, and Latvia to gather and share knowledge in the field of social innovation.
– Social innovation is a rather broad and vague concept for many people, but I am convinced that this is about to change. Thanks to the European Social Fund, we have been able to fund social innovation over the years. Yallatrappan is one of many examples. Now, Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Malmö University and four other Swedish universities, Reach for Change, and Inkludera have received funding from the Commission, which will help both us and stakeholders across the country to develop social innovation within ESF+. I look forward to it, says Håkan Forsberg, Director General of the Swedish ESF Council.
The European Commission sees opportunities in social innovations that focus on addressing societal challenges through cross-sectoral collaboration. For this reason, the Commission is now investing in strengthening these efforts and their development through cooperation among EU member states. Several European consortia have been approved and awarded EU funding.
Will gather knowledge and develop social innovation
Over the next two years, through June 2023, stakeholders in the four countries will gather knowledge and develop social innovation. The ecosystems, along with their strengths and weaknesses, will be mapped; one or two social innovation projects will be scaled up; tools and methods for building capacity for social innovation will be developed and shared; and, finally, the countries will develop national strategies and action plans.
– One consequence of the ongoing pandemic is that social disparities are expected to widen, and we now need to find common solutions to address these challenges. There are many examples of social innovations that have been developed during the pandemic, and I believe we can learn from one another within the EU. Sweden and Forum for Social Innovation Sweden a very important role to play in this context, says Kerstin Tham, Vice-Chancellor of Malmö University.
Sweden's path to becoming a European center of excellence went through the Swedish ESF Council
Sweden’s path to becoming a European Center of Excellence was paved by the Swedish ESF Council, which last fall designated Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Forum for Social Innovation Sweden at five universities across the country. From Malmö University in the south, Jönköping University, and Örebro University, to Umeå University and Luleå University of Technology in the north, in partnership with Reach for Change and Inkludera to represent Sweden. Since then, work has been underway to form a European consortium. Sweden ultimately chose a partnership led by Spain, together with France and Latvia.
“Being entrusted by the Swedish ESF Council to represent Sweden and to be part of one of the winning consortia is significant for Forum for Social Innovation Sweden, Malmö University, our partners, and for Sweden’s development of social innovations. We will become a visible player in social innovation and social entrepreneurship within the EU as well, and we will expand our networks and forge important alliances for the future,” says Charlotte Ahlgren Moritz, Chair Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Vice President of Malmö University.