its name implies, the “Multi-Country Partnership” model fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange between universities in different countries, to develop and implement social innovations.
This model contributes to the integration of diverse cultures, traditions, and ideas, creating a broader and more diverse pool of knowledge and experience for the development of social innovations. Partnerships between universities from different countries facilitate the exchange of knowledge, the exploration of various approaches to addressing social issues, and the application of the most effective practices.
The main advantages of the “Multi-Country Partnership” model are:
1. Expanding Boundaries: Participating in multi-country partnerships allows universities to transcend their geographical boundaries and engage with colleagues from different countries. This international dimension brings a diverse range of perspectives and expertise to the table.
2. Collaborative Learning: Students and faculty can benefit from opportunities like student exchanges, internships, and training programs at partner universities. This exposure enables them to acquire new knowledge and skills and gain insights into different cultural and educational contexts.
3. Developing Collaborative Projects: multi-country partnerships enable universities to work together on joint initiatives addressing social challenges through innovation. By leveraging the strengths and resources of multiple institutions, these projects become more effective in achieving their goals.
The UK-India University Programme on Social Enterprise is a notable example of international collaboration in the field of higher education and social entrepreneurship. In 2014, the British Council invited several higher education institutions in India, both public and private, to collaborate with five British higher education institutions, including UnLtd UK, Southampton University, Plymouth University, Northampton Business School, and Glasgow Caledonian University, to explore how higher education can contribute to the growth of social entrepreneurship. The aim of the UK-India University Programme on Social Enterprise was to facilitate the development of a collaborative network between the UK and India in the field of social entrepreneurship. The recommendations formulated within this program included the establishment of a joint network of said social enterprises with a specific emphasis on higher education, with support from the United Kingdom.
The Indian policy framework encourages universities to incorporate social entrepreneurship courses into their academic curricula, including remote learning courses, and to actively promote the growth of new startups through the establishment of incubation and innovation centers. 3,000 college-based entrepreneurship hubs (E-Hubs) are expected to open across the two countries, to facilitate entrepreneurship education (Cruz, P. R., Rebourseau, V. & Luisi, A., 2018).
MODEL 6: “CROSS-SECTORAL INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP”
This model entails collaboration among academic institutions, government bodies, NGOs, businesses, and non-governmental organizations at the international level.
Acting as catalysts in fostering social innovation, universities bring together various sectors of the society to address social issues such as poverty and inequality, as well as environmental challenges. These cross-sectoral international partnerships create a platform for joint action, knowledge and resource sharing, and the development and implementation of novel ideas and approaches.
In summary, the “Cross-sectoral International Partnership” model enables universities, government bodies, NGOs, businesses, and non-governmental organizations to collaborate in creating and implementing social innovations aimed at enhancing the overall quality of life in society.
A good illustration of such collaboration, involving not just academic institutions but also NGOs and businesses from multiple countries, is the SIKE project — Social Innovation through Knowledge Exchange.[152] The project brings together 11 European partners, comprising five higher education institutions, five small and medium enterprises, and one NGO from the UK, Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Croatia. Funding for the project is provided through the Erasmus+ project and the European Council (SIKE, 2019).
Social innovators often have visionary ideas and a profound understanding of local contexts but may lack expertise in areas such as business development, marketing, reliable studies of human resources, design processes, and more. They may also face barriers in accessing prototyping tools or respective professional networks they could partner with in developing and implementing their ideas. The project offers a comprehensive needs analysis and monitors flagship case studies throughout its implementation, providing pertinent knowledge and skills. It supports the “innovators’ journey through the realm of social innovation” with an intensive program of training, workshops, and the provision of proven online tools that can be applied to support social innovations at various stages of the creation process. Although regional cases exhibit significant variations in tasks, technologies, and approaches, SIKE units can operate in various forms to cater to specific needs and local conditions. Some universities may cover multiple areas in their operations, while others may focus exclusively on a single aspect of social innovation development.
From the descriptions of these models, it is evident that they are selected based on the criteria of networking and partnership. Additionally, the principle of hierarchy is observed, ranging from simpler forms that involve only local communities and organized student interactions with local NGOs for volunteering, to more complex cross-sectoral international partnerships, which involve representatives from different countries and sectors, including business, NGOs, and the academic community. An exception to this rule is the inclusion of private international partnership initiatives such as Glasgow Caledonian University’s Common Good First project.
By analyzing these practices, we have identified six key characteristics of social innovation development models in universities.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT MODELS IN UNIVERSITIES
1. Social Innovation vs. Social Entrepreneurship
We have identified that considering social entrepreneurship as the primary means of implementing social initiatives is most common among universities that are either just making first steps on their journey to realize the third mission and have not yet acquired substantial infrastructure and an extensive partner base (among NGOs, the public sector, etc.), or those who do so in collaboration with foreign organizations (e.g., within programs carried out by the British Council).
In other words, social entrepreneurship guided by universities can be seen as a simpler and more comprehensible form of implementation for social innovation development programs. However, this form is by no means the only one and is generally more characteristic of the initial stages of universities’ social innovation activities. More “mature” and systematic models exist, which exhibit a variety of forms and levels in implementation of
