Research Design in Social Innovation

This course is divided into two main parts:

1. Pathfinding: Students attend sessions in which various transformative research approaches are discussed and practised (Action/Participatory Research; Autoethnography; Art-based Research; Traditional Qualitative Research). Alongside these joint sessions, they choose a topic related to social innovation they are interested in and explore that further by applying the most appropriate approach.
2. Waypoint: Students create a designed intervention, a meaningful action or experience which will generate interest, provoke reflection or spark change within the context of student’s chosen societal area or topic of interest. Besides research theory and skills, the following communication skills are developed: • reading and understanding academic articles • writing for different purposes • understanding spoken production in a professional conversation • writing for different audiences

The professional knowledge, skills and attitude students need to bring about meaningful change bear close relation to the UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Students are encouraged to become aware of their professional interests, values and beliefs and explore these actively throughout the programme.