While SocialBusiness.org recently put together a slideshow on Ashoka innovations, one that didn't make it then was Ashoka U. Ashoka U attempts to supercharge social innovation on college campuses in an effort to create global social change through higher education channels.
The program itself, which was founded in 2008, is obviously an offshoot of Ashoka at large. There are 15 of what they call "Changemaker Campuses" but the network itself is larger than that and includes about one thousand educators in 100 universities in 15 countries.
Contact Information
Ashoka U website
Ashoka U on Facebook
Ashoka U on Twitter
Ashoka U on YouTube
Ashoka U on Vimeo
Ashoka U on Flickr
Campus Innovation Channels
Ashoka U Attempts to Bring Social Innovation to Higher Education
Trend Themes
1. Social Innovation on Campus - There is an opportunity to develop programs and initiatives that promote social innovation on college campuses.
2. Global Social Change Through Higher Education - There is an opportunity to create more partnerships between universities worldwide for the purpose of global social change.
3. Changemaker Campuses Network - There is an opportunity to develop common platforms for disseminating information, research, and innovation across all Changemaker campuses.
Industry Implications
1. Higher Education - Higher Education institutions can incorporate programs that promote social innovation, which in turn could create new forms of educational and research-related revenue streams.
2. Social Change Organizations - Social Change Organizations can leverage partnerships with universities to promote cross-disciplinary research and innovation and to increase the visibility and impact of their organizations.
3. Education Technology - Education Technology companies can create digital platforms that facilitate information sharing and collaboration across universities, to foster more effective implementation of social innovation initiatives.