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Integrating Social Innovation into the Curriculum of Higher Education Institutions in Latin America: Insights from the Students4Change Project

Author

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  • Alfonso Unceta

    (Sociology 2 Department, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain)

  • Igone Guerra

    (Sociology 2 Department, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain)

  • Xabier Barandiaran

    (Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Deusto, 20012 San Sebastian, Spain)

Abstract

In the last two decades, social innovation (SI) and social entrepreneurship (SE) have gained relevance and interest within the framework of academia at international level. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are key players in promoting innovation and social entrepreneurship initiatives that respond to multifaceted challenges. They support strategies on the basis of the strengthening of participation, collaboration, and cooperation with society and its local communities. However, the approach of Latin American universities to SI and SE has been very uneven in the way they have understood them, integrated them into academic programmes, and transferred knowledge to society. On the basis of the experience of the Students4Change project, we sought to understand the role of Latin American HEIs in promoting social innovations by analysing the experiences of 10 participating universities to formalise a pedagogical programme on SI and SE in their institutions. The results suggest that there is still a need to formalise an academic syllabus that is specifically designed to promote social innovations and to train universities in this endeavour. This paper contributes to the identification of the main levers of change, strengths, and challenges that Latin American universities face to institutionalise SI and SE in their contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Alfonso Unceta & Igone Guerra & Xabier Barandiaran, 2021. "Integrating Social Innovation into the Curriculum of Higher Education Institutions in Latin America: Insights from the Students4Change Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5378-:d:552567
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rey de Marulanda, Nohra & Tancredi, Francisco, 2010. "De la innovación social a la política pública: historias de éxito en América Latina y el Caribe," Documentos de Proyectos 39313, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    2. Georg M. Eichler & Erich J. Schwarz, 2019. "What Sustainable Development Goals Do Social Innovations Address? A Systematic Review and Content Analysis of Social Innovation Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Giuri, Paola & Munari, Federico & Scandura, Alessandra & Toschi, Laura, 2019. "The strategic orientation of universities in knowledge transfer activities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 261-278.
    4. Antonius Schröder & Daniel Krüger, 2019. "Social Innovation as a Driver for New Educational Practices: Modernising, Repairing and Transforming the Education System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-25, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yenchun Jim Wu & Mark Goh & Yingping Mai, 2023. "Social innovation and higher education: evolution and future promise," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Haibin Liu & Sadan Kulturel-Konak & Abdullah Konak, 2021. "Key Elements and Their Roles in Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem: Comparative Review and Suggestions for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.

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