6th Global Meeting of Associations, 6 – 8 May 2015, Montreal Francesc Xavier Grau

Non-executive director of GUNi

GUNi: 209 members in 78 countries

Higher Education Institutions.

Research Centres in HE.

HEI Networks.

UNESCO Chairs dealing with HE issues

UNITWIN centres/networks

2006 2007 2008

2009 2011 2013

GUNi HEIW Reports

Main Project 2015-16

Analyse the dual responsibilities of universities at local and global scale

Identify best practices and provide recommendations to both the academiccommunity and public officials on how universities can improve and makecompatible cultural, social and economic impact at local and global levels,and

Explore the potential conflict, or intrinsic difficulties, in addressing both localdemands of society based on the race for global competitiveness and localand global demands to contribute to a more equitable and sustainablesociety (at local and global scales).

International experts working group

UNESCO Chairs UNITWIN network (create synergies between UNESCO Chairs devoted to Higher Education)

City-University working group (direct responsibilities of cities on citizens, confronted with all cultural, social and economic issues that need the attention of universities)

Catalan working group laboratory to test different possibilities of measuring and monitoring impact and engagement

» Emergence of new terms Install in vocabulary. “Social Innovation” one of those terms» Still refining the definition.

Anyway, it is a concept that refers to the search of innovative solutions for the complexproblems and challenges of the society. These solutions often correspond to new forms ofcommunication and cooperation, so that exercising social innovation implies trespassing bothorganisational and disciplinary borders, as well as individual, collective, public and private.

» Social innovation seeks to respond to unfulfilled social demands and it is focused onboth the development of actions and on obtaining results. Social innovation therebybecomes a key factor to ensure social cohesion.

» “After two decades of energetic reform to improve technology transfer universities are only just beginning to think about how to achieve equivalent results in the social field, through the employment of heads of social innovation and social transfer, running social laboratories or incubators to connect users and innovators, or setting up ‘social science parks’.”(Mulgan, G. 2007. Social Innovation: What it is, Why it matters and How it can be accelerated. Oxford: Said Business School)

» Universities ( “inescapable social forces for the good” Father Ellacuría), can be involved at alllevels of a national/regional social innovation strategy: actors, facilitators, leaders, research, …The role of the University in social innovation: directly related to social responsibilities; affectstwo main missions: teaching and research.

» In order to achieve dynamic and efficient ‘social innovation’ it is necessary to promote theirvalues within the educational system, also at the highest level.

» Universities do not have impact alone, especially on social issues. Adaptive problems needfor collective impact approaches (Kania & Kramer, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2011):(1) a common agenda, (2) shared measurement systems, (3) mutually reinforcing activities, (4)continuous communication and (5) backbone support organizations (universities and networkscan also play this role)

» Effective Networking: Regional/Local partnerships. Local nature of social innovation. Globalsocial problems require global-scale solutions Social innovation allows adapting localsolutions to global contexts.

» Moreover, at national/regional scale universities configure a system: SYSTEMNESS Impact ofsystems of universities.

» Need for facing long standing and new social challenges, more efficiently. Need for a reliablereference to the building of arguments and decision making.

» A priority on the macro (national) level. But also at the micro (organisational) level. Socialinnovation metrics at the macro level and social impact measurement systems jointlycontribute to enhance the understanding of social value creation that is central to the viabilityof contemporary and future societies (Tepsie)

» Building a system of indicators concept becomes more precise & recognisable

consolidation. Indicators = measurement instruments instruments for evaluation andimprovement

» Universities used to measure impact of “easy“ measurable things: impact of research throughbibliometric measures, economic impact through input-output tables… What about socialimpact? And, again, systems of universities work at the macro and micro levels.

» In contrast with technological innovation, metrics in social innovation cannot be so easily based on outputs. More attention to enabling conditions and social innovation potential.

» Drafting indicators of social innovation is not an evident task: (1) no theoretical approach or explicative models, from which variables and indicators

could be derived that permit the estimation of causal relationships. (2) no statistical set of data available no robust or reliable indicators(3) comparative studies among different regions could be made would allow for

establishment of indicators (unfortunately, this type of analysis has yet to be done)

» development of indicators of social innovation = still an experimental task » requires: adjusting approaches and concepts, serial measurements (annual or biannual),

comparative studies with other nations/regions and case studies to consolidate a system of national/regional indicators of social innovation.

Catalonia’s population (M7.5)

is similar to Denmark, Bulgaria

or Austria. The Catalan GDP per

capita is above the European

average (EU-28).

• Catalan GDP accounts 20% of Spanish GDP.

• Catalan exports represent 26 % of all Spanish exports.

• Catalan population is 16% of Spanish total population.

• Economic crisis has hit very hard. (unemployment rate: over 20% in

Cat, over 23% in Spain)

Institution Students

University of Barcelona 56.567

Autonomous University of Barcelona 34.244

Technical University of Catalonia 33.894

Pompeu Fabra University 17.204

University of Girona 15.056

University of Lleida 10.074

Rovira i Virgili University 14.037

Open University of Catalona 43.362

224.438

• Catalonia has a diverse system of

universities, a diverse society, a

representative dimension of local-global

• ACUP: sense of systemness. Tradition of

measuring collective impact (Research &

Technological Innovation).

• Individual universities, experience in

measuring impact on society.

• Opportunity to measure collective social

impact of a university system

» Create a benchmarking laboratory, as a

coordinated space of the eight ACUP universities,

to discuss, analyse and test different possibilities of

measuring and monitoring impact and engagement

OF A UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, both at local and

global levels GUNi HEIW6.

Work Package 2: Measuring Social Innovation Focus on measuring social innovation at the macro level: in what kinds of sectors and organisations does it occur and what tools can we use to measure social innovation?

A Blueprint for social innovation metricsA Scoreboard. Not a single index(complexity of social innovation). Two groups of data1) Innovation measurement in

private/public organisations2) Social, normative,

environmental dimensionsComplemented by “innovative” data sources (ex. Google trends)

Universities (can be) involved in more that 50% of these indicators and/or metrics.Recommendations:1) Put the indicator system

into action2) Identify patterns of

national innovation systems

3) Develop indicators at regional level

4) Improve statistics5) Engage. Multiple actors to

contribute

» Implementing a Scottish Social Innovation Strategy (2014-2020). Summary of recommendations:

» Raise awareness about social innovation beyond the usual suspects» Formulate (with stakeholders and citizens) a Scottish social innovation strategy.» Implement a smart specialisation strategy encompassing social innovation» Support the development of social innovation networks and platforms to enable

greater focus and co-ordination of socially innovative activities in Scotland.» Support the expansion of the incubation of social innovation to provide opportunities

for 'bottom-up' solutions, and sustainable job creation.» Plan and implement the creation of a dedicated social innovation cluster/park in

Scotland.

UNIVERSITIES involved at all levels

+ Previous experience of our universities in measuring social impact

Tepsie Metrics related to UniversitiesRESINDEX Metrix related to

Universities

University expenditure on innovation

activities

Proportion of personnel dedicated to

innovation (tech&social)

Number of Start-ups. Early-stage

Social Entrepreneurship

Activities for exchanging ideas,

knowledge and relevant information in

SI

Enterprise death rate Association with external agents in SI

Equal opportunities / inequalities

regarding disabled people

Number of projects in innovation

(tech&social)

Equal opportunities / inequalities

regarding women / men

Individuals or units devoted to identify

needs / social demands

Share of students coming from

migrationDiversity of cooperating partners

Percentage of people 25-64 with

tertiary studiesDiversity of financing sources

University expenditure in social

activities

Dissemination of social projects

outcomes

Demands from society to universities Diversity of sectors impacted

Participation of universities in

organisations / networks related to

environment, ecology, ...

Degree of participation of the target

population in the project

.... ...

» Social innovation = key factor to achieve the social cohesion, the competitiveness &the sustainability of our societies. More cohesive societies more competitive & sustainable societies.

» Social innovation provides new solutions to social problems that are especially complex. Global problems that find local solutions. Local solutions that can be transferred to other contexts and therefore, to other societies ("Innovation by adoption").

» Social innovation brings together different agents to search for solutions collaboration between people & organisations encourages cooperation and hybridization between sectors.

» Social innovation generates results (products, processes, services) value must be made visible in order for the society to realise how important it is results that have to be measured.

» Universities involved in: Research, Culture dissemination, Incubation, networking, and as an actor.

Thanks for your attention!http://www.guninetwork.org

director@guninetwork.org