SOCIAL INNOVATION
Syllabus
EN
IT
Learning Objectives
oung leaders of today are the key to real change and innovative solutions for the most pressing world's problems. What they need are the right tools, the right network, a clear vision, and more opportunities to grow.
This course inspires young leaders to unleash their potential and make an impact in the world, to connect with their purpose and supports them to solve challenges faced by real-life social businesses. The course will guide the students through the Roadmap to Social Innovation: 9 topics that unfold through four lenses of social entrepreneurship (WHO, WHY, WHAT, HOW) that allow the students to understand what are the required steps to build a social enterprise managing to combine impact with business.
Specifically, the course will give students a perspective on the path that leads from the idea to the birth of the social enterprise, through the analysis of social challenges, the focus on the problem to be solved, the formulation of the Vision and Mission Statement, and the definition of the solution and the products/services to offer.
This course inspires young leaders to unleash their potential and make an impact in the world, to connect with their purpose and supports them to solve challenges faced by real-life social businesses. The course will guide the students through the Roadmap to Social Innovation: 9 topics that unfold through four lenses of social entrepreneurship (WHO, WHY, WHAT, HOW) that allow the students to understand what are the required steps to build a social enterprise managing to combine impact with business.
Specifically, the course will give students a perspective on the path that leads from the idea to the birth of the social enterprise, through the analysis of social challenges, the focus on the problem to be solved, the formulation of the Vision and Mission Statement, and the definition of the solution and the products/services to offer.
Prerequisites
No formal pre-requisites
Program
The course programme is divided into 9 inter-related parts as follows:
Topic 1 WHY & WHO: New times, new leadership - Entrepreneurs and companies with a social impact
Topic 2 WHAT: From the analysis of social challenges to the definition of the solution
Topic 3 HOW: Create alliances for impact - involve stakeholders to generate systemic change
Topic 4 HOW: Enhancing the impact
Topic 5 HOW: Financing the impact - building a Social Impact Business Model and attracting donors and investors
Topic 6 HOW: Presenting the impact - attracting funding through the "perfect pitch
Topic 7 HOW: Communicating the impact - raising awareness, informing, disseminating and involving through advocacy and communication campaigns
Topic 8 HOW: Growing - Scaling, Replicating & Transfer
Topic 9 WHO & WHAT:
9+ 1 Extraordinary Stories
9+1 things you need to have if you want to become a social entrepreneur
9+1 Top Tips
Case study:
Grameen Bank the social business founded by Prof. Muhammad Yunus Peace Prize Nobel Laureate
During each lecture, the lecturer presents the planned content with the aid of power point presentations and invites students to critical reflection and dialogue.
Topic 1 WHY & WHO: New times, new leadership - Entrepreneurs and companies with a social impact
Topic 2 WHAT: From the analysis of social challenges to the definition of the solution
Topic 3 HOW: Create alliances for impact - involve stakeholders to generate systemic change
Topic 4 HOW: Enhancing the impact
Topic 5 HOW: Financing the impact - building a Social Impact Business Model and attracting donors and investors
Topic 6 HOW: Presenting the impact - attracting funding through the "perfect pitch
Topic 7 HOW: Communicating the impact - raising awareness, informing, disseminating and involving through advocacy and communication campaigns
Topic 8 HOW: Growing - Scaling, Replicating & Transfer
Topic 9 WHO & WHAT:
9+ 1 Extraordinary Stories
9+1 things you need to have if you want to become a social entrepreneur
9+1 Top Tips
Case study:
Grameen Bank the social business founded by Prof. Muhammad Yunus Peace Prize Nobel Laureate
During each lecture, the lecturer presents the planned content with the aid of power point presentations and invites students to critical reflection and dialogue.
Books
Attending students:
1. Sinesi, S., Social Impact in Your Hands, Egea, 2024.
2. Course slides and materials distributed during the course.
Non-attending students (below 80% attendance):
1. Sinesi, S., Social Impact in Your Hands, Egea, 2024.
2. Yunus, M., Banker to the Poor.
1. Sinesi, S., Social Impact in Your Hands, Egea, 2024.
2. Course slides and materials distributed during the course.
Non-attending students (below 80% attendance):
1. Sinesi, S., Social Impact in Your Hands, Egea, 2024.
2. Yunus, M., Banker to the Poor.
Bibliography
Further readings and materials, including presentations, will be shared with students during the lessons.
Teaching methods
The course combines different teaching methods: lectures; seminars; student presentations. The lectures will provide the students with the necessary information and reading guidelines on the phenomena under study, while seminars will see students critically engage with this knowledge and encourage/participate in class debates. Students are expected to attend each class, to come to class prepared and to participate in discussions.
Students will agree the topic of their presentations with the lecturers and give assessed Power-point presentations in which they will critically evaluate the content and argument of a chosen topic and introduce related questions for the class discussion.
Students will agree the topic of their presentations with the lecturers and give assessed Power-point presentations in which they will critically evaluate the content and argument of a chosen topic and introduce related questions for the class discussion.
Exam Rules
Course assessment
ATTENDING STUDENTS
The examination consists of:
- a final individual or group pitch presenting the social business project developed during the course;
- an oral examination covering the topics discussed in class and the assigned mandatory materials.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
The examination consists of:
- a final individual pitch presenting an independently developed social business project;
- an oral examination covering the full content of both mandatory textbooks.
Assessment considers the quality of the project, the ability to apply the course concepts, overall preparation, analytical skills, independent judgement and clarity of presentation. The minimum passing grade is 18/30.
ATTENDING STUDENTS
The examination consists of:
- a final individual or group pitch presenting the social business project developed during the course;
- an oral examination covering the topics discussed in class and the assigned mandatory materials.
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
The examination consists of:
- a final individual pitch presenting an independently developed social business project;
- an oral examination covering the full content of both mandatory textbooks.
Assessment considers the quality of the project, the ability to apply the course concepts, overall preparation, analytical skills, independent judgement and clarity of presentation. The minimum passing grade is 18/30.
Attendance Rules
Attendance is required from the very first lesson and it is necessary to attend at least 80% of the course to be considered an attending student.