REFORMULATING THE THIRD MISSION OF UNIVERSITIES: SOCIAL INNOVATION IN THE TURKISH HIGHER EDUCATION ECOLOGY

Date

2024-8

Author

Eryılmaz, Hande

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Debates to resolve social problems are high at national/international level, driving institutions to search for solutions to tackle societal problems in a sustainable, effective and inclusive manner. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and their actors are important change agents to support social innovation (SI) practices. SI requires action oriented, systematic and multi-level discourse and thus there is a need for a clearer and multifaceted understanding of SI practices within the higher education ecology. The study investigates the necessary process dynamics to support SI practices within the Turkish Higher Education ecosystem. SI is currently hindered in Türkiye due to a lack of understanding, systematic and organized demand for SI practices. There is a great potential of SI practices to support collaboration among quadruple helix actors, enrich service proliferation and to improve the reputation of universities. The study has used a generic qualitative research design to evaluate 42 respondents to understand the dynamics of SI in the HEI context. The research has resulted in a working definition of SI within the HEI context, has developed a systematic conceptual model for implementors, has differentiated the HEI ecosystem dynamics and change potential in the sampled cities of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Konya and has defined roles for HEI implementors and managers to support and extend SI practices. Social innovation practices will help enrich the HEI’s third mission role, will support the inclusion of social science and humanities as a conduit for research and development (R&D) and also support impactful research practices.

Subject Keywords

Social Innovation, Higher Education Ecosystem, Universities, Socio-Technical Systems, Social Systems

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/110825

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis