Elon University's Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and IE University will co-host a three-day Social Entrepreneurship and Education Consortium (SEEC) workshop from July 9-11 in Segovia, Spain.
SEEC workshops are for individuals leading and participating in university social entrepreneurship activities, competitions, curriculum and academic research. The objectives of the consortium are to share best practices, exchange ideas, form collaborations and to develop better integrated strategies.
The workshop allows individuals interested in university social entrepreneurship activities to establish new discussions, continue previous interactions and learn more about other programs and initiatives.
Gary Palin, executive director of the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and senior lecturer of entrepreneurship in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, will be a keynote speaker and moderator at the workshop.
“This workshop is a dynamic environment allowing university leaders of social entrepreneurship curriculum, research and activities to move this field forward,” Palin said. “We are thrilled and honored to be partnering with such prestigious leaders in the area of social entrepreneurship at IE University.”
The 2009 SEEC Europe workshop will include a Social Entrepreneurship Feasibility Analysis Competition as a way to foster projects that have social and/or environmental impact as a central component of the enterprise. Projects must be economically sustainable, with a high potential for international expansion. A social entrepreneur establishes and/or leads an organization (whether for-profit, non-profit or hybrid) that catalyzes systemic social change by providing innovative products or services that benefit excluded populations.
The competition is open to teams with at least one student and/or alumni (undergraduate, master and doctoral level) of a recognized education institution.
“SEEC workshops and subsequent actions in this regard are extremely useful in mainstreaming social entrepreneurship in academic curricula, scholarly research and institutional policies,” said Rachida Justo, assistant professor of entrepreneurial management and social entrepreneurship at IE University Business School. “It is interesting and thought provoking to listen to a cross section of people from different sectors, background, and geographic profiles discuss social entrepreneurship. We will learn from and share with our academic fellows about best practices in teaching and doing research on this topic along with exposure to inspiring social entrepreneurs concrete examples about how to address the complex issues faced by entrepreneurs with a social mission.”
