Stockholm University, along with five other higher education institutions, has been commissioned by Vinnova to establish a regional knowledge hub under the name Forum for Social Innovation Sweden.
The work will be coordinated by Malmö University. The regional platforms are intended to increase knowledge and create forums for promoting social innovation, social entrepreneurship, and social enterprise.
Society faces major challenges in the years ahead, such as climate change, segregation, an aging population, and rising rates of mental health issues. Meeting these challenges will require new ideas, approaches, and partnerships, and social innovations will be part of the solution.
The establishment and development of the regional knowledge platforms will involve a wide range of stakeholders, including regions, businesses, innovation promoters, universities, municipalities, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Among other things, this work will involve spreading greater knowledge and awareness of social innovations, as well as creating meeting places to facilitate the generation and development of ideas.
Develop methods and tools
Collaboration with other stakeholders is part of higher education institutions’ mission, and it is also important to develop methods and tools that create the conditions for bringing more social innovations to fruition. The Knowledge Platform’s national steering group* consists of members from the leadership of each higher education institution who view the initiative as an important part of the institutions’ core activities and collaborative 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 a positive development. There is also the capacity to create international connections and appeal, 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, says Judit Wefer, Program Manager for Social Innovation at Vinnova.
Long-term work
“Social innovation is a critical area! The Stockholm regional hub of the new national knowledge platform hopes to contribute to sustainable solutions for societal challenges across a wide range of fields,” says Johanna Hargö, project manager at Stockholm University.