University social responsibility, a new concept

The Social Innovation Initiative, a joint effort of the Teaching new ecological and socially responsible entrepreneurial models such as circular economy, B Enterprises, and fair trade. 

The first step in this direction is the design and implementation of a virtual international seminar for university leaders of the continent, to generate a meeting between academics and social innovation leaders to promote this new concept of university social responsibility, seeking to create a virtual learning environment regarding these subjects. 

The seminar is designed to provide management tools to 40 managers in 20 universities of the region, to enable them to respond to the economic, environmental, and social challenges stated in the United Natios Post 2015 Agenda, creating bridges with creative external actors from the civil society, such as the AVINA Foundation, OXFAM, Sistema B, public actors, national agencies for the alleviation of poverty, and Amnesty International, among other entities, to create a space where universities can integrate teaching, research, and extension, while at the same time educating and motivating thousands of young people to join in the defense of just causes in harmony with important international agreements. 

From this perspective, it is imperative to incorporate social innovation at a university level, in order to create a citizen culture which is socially responsible, illustrated by international contributions, and aimed at local solutions so that fair and sustainable development may become a reality in the continent.