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This paper explores how the informal economy can act as a catalyst for sustainability and digital innovation through student-led interventions in marginalised communities. Drawing on a transdisciplinary project situated in the informal settlement of Dunoon, Cape Town, we apply the Quintuple Helix (QH) framework to examine how collaborative innovation unfolds across academia, government, industry, civil society, and the natural environment. The study investigates how student teams co-designed context-specific digital solutions in partnership with community and institutional actors. Our research is guided by the question: What insights does the QH framework offer for guiding transdisciplinary student projects focused on the informal economy? Using thematic analysis of student artefacts, reflections, stakeholder feedback, and researcher observations, we evaluate how knowledge co-creation contributes to sustainable-smart innovation. Findings highlight the importance of community engagement, inter-institutional collaboration, and sustainability-oriented design, while also identifying challenges such as limited industry involvement and scalability.

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Quintuple Helix, the Informal Economy and Sustainable-Smart Innovations: Lessons to Be Learned from a Transdisciplinary Student Project

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Carolien van den Berg,
  • Belinda Verster

摘要

This paper explores how the informal economy can act as a catalyst for sustainability and digital innovation through student-led interventions in marginalised communities. Drawing on a transdisciplinary project situated in the informal settlement of Dunoon, Cape Town, we apply the Quintuple Helix (QH) framework to examine how collaborative innovation unfolds across academia, government, industry, civil society, and the natural environment. The study investigates how student teams co-designed context-specific digital solutions in partnership with community and institutional actors. Our research is guided by the question: What insights does the QH framework offer for guiding transdisciplinary student projects focused on the informal economy? Using thematic analysis of student artefacts, reflections, stakeholder feedback, and researcher observations, we evaluate how knowledge co-creation contributes to sustainable-smart innovation. Findings highlight the importance of community engagement, inter-institutional collaboration, and sustainability-oriented design, while also identifying challenges such as limited industry involvement and scalability.