Program description

The social innovation executive GNAM program is a 7-day intensive course designed to strengthen the capacity of individuals to develop innovative solutions using market forces to develop a profitable entrepreneurship while addressing complex social and environmental problems.

Through lectures, discussion, and experiential learning, students are immersed in the process of seeking innovative solutions for social transformation. The program explores the idea of social innovation from thee different perspectives:

1. Context – What factors foster or hinder social innovation in a particular context?
2. Agent – Who does (makes) social innovation, why and with what purpose?
3. Mechanisms – What allows to combine existing elements in new ways, cutting across sectors and disciplines, and forming new social relationships?

Program structure

The program brings together a diverse group of like-minded students from around the world to develop the professional and personal skills needed to lead change and create a positive impact.

The curriculum of the program is designed to tackle the issue of social innovation in three interwoven dimensions:

• Conceptual foundations: A third of the course is dedicated to exploring the conceptual foundations and evolution of social innovation. lively discussions, teachers - students and students - students are enriched with presentations by social entrepreneurs and representatives of NGOs, governments and firms involved in social innovation projects.
• Competencies and skills: Through assignments, team exercises and mentoring, students will strengthen skills related to leadership, creativity, and communication.
• Co-curricular activities: Throughout the week students will participate in field trips and will prepare a real-world project aimed to address a social need that they have identified in Mexico.

 

Program contents

The program will explore the emergence and development of social innovation, along with its potentials and limitations to overcome social and environmental challenges.

 Module 1.“How to” do social innovation by looking at:

• The role of social innovation in social progress
• Moving ideas through sectoral boundaries
• Building effective alliances
• Scaling up: from diffusion ideas to organic growth
• Measuring impact
• Overcoming hurdles: vested interested, institutional voids and fundraising.

Module 2: Socially Inclusive Business

• Markets and the poor
• Market initiatives serving low-income sectors
  • Large companies
  • Small firms and startups
• Ecosystem in inclusive business
• Creation of economic value and social value

Module 3: Field trip

• Let’s meet the actors