Initiating projects of social innovation

Sustainable social innovations contribute greatly to tackling societal challenges. Therefore, the goal of this project is to support research project applications and proposals of the two departments Healthcare-, Social- & Public Management and Social Work. We have a broad understanding of the concept of social innovation. This includes all research projects that have the goal of identifying and targeting current social challenges as results of societal transformation with cutting-edge approaches. This shall be implemented through practical and evidence-based research both in the psychosocial field and the field of social services with a special focus on the cooperation of the above-named departments. The project aims to support a broad range of research initiatives, including the identification of future research fields as well as the development of interventions, measures, and projects in the psychosocial field and the field of social services. Other fields of interest for the project include social innovation in the context of demographical development and societal crises, innovative solutions to (psycho)social problems in the context of climate change, or benefits for consumers thanks to the cooperation of modern and traditional social businesses. Ultimately, the project seeks to develop holistic and sustainable solutions to (psycho)social problems, particularly focusing on social and technological innovations (e.g. robotics in the care sector).