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Department of Social Sciences

Large European network for the establishment of "National Competence Centers for Social Innovation" is funded

Photo of Dr. Christoph Kaletka © sfs
sfs-scientist Dr. Christoph Kaletka: "The realization is gaining ground that social innovations can make a significant contribution to solve major societal problems."
The topic of social innovation will be given a central role in the new European Social Fund (ESF) funding period 2021-2027. For this purpose, the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) will be assigned to the new "ESF Plus". EaSI is intended to promote high-quality and sustainable employment, help combat poverty and social exclusion, and ensure better working conditions. The German consortium, with the participation of the Social Research Centre (sfs) as part of a large international network, will start its work on this as early as May 2021.

But how do you promote social innovations? Which resources and competencies are already available in the EU member states? Which approaches do work well and which actors shape this field in politics, science and practice? Over the next two years, the ESF will support the establishment of National Competence Centers for Social Innovation in order to bundle existing expertise in all countries of the European Union, to better understand the different ecosystems of social innovation in the member states, to develop them in a targeted manner and to organize international exchange processes.

The Social Research Center (sfs) of the TU Dortmund University is involved as a scientific partner in the establishment of the German competence center - together with practice partners such as "Social Impact", the Financing Agency for Social Entrepreneurship (FASE), and the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany (SEND). The German consortium is part of a large international network that brings together European SI expertise.

Dr. Christoph Kaletka, head of the project at the Social Research Center, recognizes a milestone: "After the German Bundestag decided last year to systematically promote social innovations, another important step follows with the new orientation of the ESF program. The realization is gaining ground that social innovations can make a significant contribution to solve major societal problems."

The project work will begin in May 2021.

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