As part of an international partner consortium on SIKE EU funded project, one of the most exciting parts is the establishment of SIKE Units: a spaces on HEI campuses where knowledge exchange for social innovation can take place.

Croatian SIKE Unit is based at the University of Applied Sciences VERN’ and it is based on collaboration with Social Innovation Lab and pre-existing resources and knowledge from the institution. It is located at VERN’s campus as part of the library and IT classroom. The goal for this UNIT is to attract external stakeholders as well as students who see this space in everyday life and to attract also academics, representatives from private and public bodies, experts and members of wider community and all interested in social innovation knowledge exchange. This is a space for dialogue, a space for innovation and co-design and a hub for connecting people: a physical place where people can gather together. The spaces adopt the following characteristics: Creativity, collaboration with society, open-door policy, mutual-learning process, innovative copyright policy and academic credibility.

The SIKE Project responds to the need for Universities to become more proactive in driving social change through knowledge exchange and social innovation (SI).

This project aims to lay the foundations for a radical shift in knowledge exchange practice that embraces social innovation by adapting more conventional, commercial and process innovation to the social needs of communities. As such, SIKE will both facilitate the exchange, flow and co-creation of knowledge and stimulate social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills of its participants and stakeholders while also developing new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning through its training program and online tools.

Communication Department

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Date of publication: February 19, 2020