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<p>Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly recognised for their potential to support social innovation (SI) initiatives. However, their role across different stages of the SI process remains underexplored. This study investigates how HEIs enable or hinder SI initiatives, based on a qualitative analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with social entrepreneurs selected from a pool of 109 projects in the Portugal Social Innovation (PSI) database. The interviews were transcribed and coded to explore the relationships between SI process stages, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) macro-groups (economic, educational, social), and HEI engagement. Findings indicate that HEIs can contribute to the SI process by providing knowledge resources, facilitating access to stakeholder networks, and enhancing access to funding, particularly in early stages. However, several barriers to HEIs participation in SI were identified, including institutional bureaucracy, slow decision-making, a disconnect from real-world problems, and elitism. The contribution of this study lies in advancing the understanding of how HEIs engage with SI throughout the SI process, highlighting their stage-specific and ambivalent roles as both enablers and inhibitors. The originality of this study lies in its integration of the SI process and the role of HEIs, providing evidence-based insights into the institutional tensions shaping universities’ third mission.</p>

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The social innovation process: exploring critical success factors and the role of higher education institutions

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月26日

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  • Jorge Cunha,
  • Carla Ferreira,
  • Madalena Araújo,
  • Manuel Lopes Nunes,
  • Alaize Dall-Orsoletta

摘要

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly recognised for their potential to support social innovation (SI) initiatives. However, their role across different stages of the SI process remains underexplored. This study investigates how HEIs enable or hinder SI initiatives, based on a qualitative analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with social entrepreneurs selected from a pool of 109 projects in the Portugal Social Innovation (PSI) database. The interviews were transcribed and coded to explore the relationships between SI process stages, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) macro-groups (economic, educational, social), and HEI engagement. Findings indicate that HEIs can contribute to the SI process by providing knowledge resources, facilitating access to stakeholder networks, and enhancing access to funding, particularly in early stages. However, several barriers to HEIs participation in SI were identified, including institutional bureaucracy, slow decision-making, a disconnect from real-world problems, and elitism. The contribution of this study lies in advancing the understanding of how HEIs engage with SI throughout the SI process, highlighting their stage-specific and ambivalent roles as both enablers and inhibitors. The originality of this study lies in its integration of the SI process and the role of HEIs, providing evidence-based insights into the institutional tensions shaping universities’ third mission.