Strengthening the knowledge-based society

Knowledge is a central resource for developments in the economy, the state and the civil society. Here, new insights enable social innovations, creating solutions for the big challenges of our time: from an ageing society, migration and climate change to social conflicts caused by growing inequality, poverty and exclusion. In order to generate this know-how and use it effectively, ZSI systematically combines science and research with the communication and dissemination of results and a network of various stakeholders.

Find more information on our website www.zsi.at and in our monthly newsletter www.zsi.at/eJournal

Social innovation in Austria

„for Europe

Stimuli for internationaliSation and cooperation in Science and reSearch

Since its beginnings, ZSI has had a strong European network. In the meantime, the Centre has established excellent cooperations with clients and partner institutions in science and praxis in all continents. In the past decade, the coordination of research policies has become an extremely successful field of work, with ZSI extending its expertise from Southeast and Eastern Europe to Asia, the Americas and Africa.

Among its institutional partners and clients are international organisations like OECD, ILO, UNESCO and the World Bank. Repeatedly, ZSI was rated among the most successful Austrian research organisations participating in the 7th European Framework Programme for Research (PROVISO reports).

all innovationS are Socially relevant.

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Zentrum für Soziale Innovation (ZSI)Centre for Social Innovation

Linke Wienzeile 246 1150 Vienna Austria Tel: 0043-1-4950442 Fax: 0043-1-4950442 – 40 email: institut@zsi.at

With more than 50 experts in various fields, ZSI is one of the largest Austrian institutions in the field of social sciences, making it stand out internationally due to the high number of projects compared to the number of employees.

ZSI employs people from numerous countries, who not only have competences in several scientific disciplines and languages but also enrich projects with their regional and cultural know-how.

multi-diSciplinary team with coSmopolitan rootS

centre for Social innovation

Social innovations are new practices for resolving societal challenges, which are adopted and utilised by individuals, social groups and organisations concerned.Prof. Dr. Josef Hochgerner, ZSI

The Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) researches and supports innovation processes including their social dimensions. Since 1990, the Centre has carried out more than 400 research and stimulus projects. This means that social innovations are right up there with economically relevant technical innovations and are considered equally significant by the public, politics and research.

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eJOURNAL

A bAlAncE of succEss25 YEARs of ZsIin 2015, ZSi will celebrate its 25th anniversary!

a few of the centre’s milestones put in the context of fundamental scientific and political changes:

Austria is conducting accession negotiations with the European Communities; Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union disintegrate.

The Centre is founded after a successful project proposal to the 3rd European Framework Programme for Research. It is the first Centre for Social Innovation worldwide.

Cooperation in the 4th European Framework Programme intensifies after Austria’s accession to the European Union. A long lasting cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna begins.

For the first time, the project turnover is over EUR 1 million.

ZSI unites 25 employees in previously separate working groups at one location.

The goals and measures for creating a European Research Area (ERA) are published in an official communication by the European Commission.

New dimensions of internationalisation: In addition to projects in the European Framework Programmes, ZSI is now working with OECD, coordinating research programme evaluations on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, and the first regional ERA-Net project is launched by ZSI for Southeast Europe. The Centre now has 40 employees and moves into a new office, which will be gradually enlarged in the following years.

In cooperation with SozialMarie, Prize for Social Innovation, ZSI organises an “Awareness week for social innovation” in Vienna. The first two-year post-graduate course for social-scientific research and professional qualification, SOQUA, is founded in cooperation with FORBA (Working Life Research Centre) and SORA (Institute for Social Research and Consulting).

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ZSI divides its activities into the three areas it is using today: Work and Equal Opportunities, Research Policy and Development, Technology and Knowledge. Based on new internal regulations, the Centre is now led by an executive board consisting of a scientific director, a business director and three heads of department, as well as a supervisory board.

ZSI’s “Social Innovation  2015” strategy sets the following medium-term goal: “Between now and 2015 the topic ‘social innovation’ should be anchored prominently in public debate, and a large number of effective social innovations shall become realised in economic, social and community politics.” (ZSI Discussion Paper 9: “Stimulating Social Development”, page 30)

The 2008 revised Social Agenda of the European Union is an addition to the Lisbon Strategy for 2008-2010. It takes into account the shifting labour market and the change of European society as a whole by addressing and acknowledging the need for social innovation. In January 2009 the President of the European Commission, Barroso, and US-President Obama publicise the significance of social innovations for societal and economic progress. Gradually, social innovation is taken up in European and national research and innovation policy strategies, such as the 2011 „Becoming an innovation leader“ RTI strategy (for research, technology and innovation) of the Austrian federal government.

Following a peer review process, ZSI is looking to reposition itself in the international research and innovation landscape. It now employs about 60 people and its turnover reaches nearly EUR 4  million. „Challenge Social Innovation“, the hitherto largest and most influential scientific conference on social innovation, is held in Vienna and finalises the „Vienna Declaration: The Most Relevant Topics in Social Innovation Research“. www.socialinnovation2011.eu

A SOQUA summer school on the topic “Social Innovation in Europe and Beyond” takes place. The European School of Social Innovation (ESSI) is founded. The Centre’s global network of clients and cooperation partners now comprises more than 300 organisations in the field of science and its practical application. “Master of Arts in Social Innovation”, the first university course for social innovation worldwide, starts at the Danube University Krems (DUK). It was developed and realised in cooperation with ZSI. DUK is the first university to become member of the European School of Social Innovation (ESSI), followed by the University of the Basque Country, University of Technology Dortmund and the European Business School Wiesbaden.

ZSI projects show effect in international research cooperation and innovation policies, innovative labour market and employment programmes. They contribute to participatory technology design and analysis and promotion of social innovations across all sectors of society.

Social innovation is a relevant part of the European Union‘s „Europe 2020“ strategy, and is promoted by the „HORIZON 2020“ European Framework Programme for Research and Development as well by many other national and international programmes.

2007reSearch - adviSory ServiceS - further education - creation & coordination of networkS

Key areas of work are:

• Research management• International research, technology and

innovation policies• Techno-globalisation and internationalisation

strategies• IT and social change• Citizen science and participatory technology

design• Acceptance and social relevance of

technologies• Technology enhanced learning• Education and lifelong learning• Innovations in labour market policies• Migration and inclusion

Performed activities of ZSI include:

• Fundamental and application-oriented scientific studies

• Planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes

• Planning and realisation of further training concepts and courses

• Creation and coordination of virtual and real-life networks

The Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) is an independent scientific institution in the field of social sciences and a European leader in applied and inter-disciplinary research in three major fields of competence.

The thematic core areas Work and Equal opportunitiEs, rEsEarch policy and dEvElopmEnt, and tEchnology and knoWlEdgEare dedicated to generating expertise on “Social Innovation – Societal Challenges in the 21st Century”: