This is the question which will be addressed by the social innovation exchange at its Summer School 2010 which takes place in Singapore in September.
The most dynamic cities in the world have always been immersed in the critical innovations of their time, but why do some do it better than others? What inhibits a city’s ability to innovate? How can cities around the world capitalise on and mobilise the wealth, creativity and knowledge within them to speed up our ability to tackle social challenges?
The Meeting will examine:
- Conditions for innovation: How can we empower cities to radically innovate to better address pressing social challenges? What are the specific tools and institutions that are helping cities to creatively solve their problems?
- Barriers for innovation: What is preventing some cities becoming truly innovative? Is it a matter of a lack of institutions or the right people; is it a problem of governance; or a cultural issue, are people just scared of taking risks?
- To what extent does either the physical environment of a city, or its virtual environment, hinder or foster social innovation?
Participants from across the globe with a ranges of backgrounds – social enterprise, incubators, government, the private sector, charities and foundations – are being invited to Singapore to meet each other and to share ideas, best practices, and methods on innovating to create a better city. The programme will combine key note speakers, open space sessions, time for collaborative working, and opportunities to visit the best of social innovation in Singapore, as well as plenty of time for networking to maximise the exchange of ideas, experiences and thoughts.
Read more:
- Social Innovation Exchange – website
Peter Ramsden
Thematic Pole Manager
