Format: Talks – Let’s talk about social business
Author
About the idea
The Erasmus+ project EngageGreen (Enhancing Institutional Capacities for Policy Engagement for Green and Digital Transitions) also aims to translate the green and digital transition in a public and shared process. The objective is twofold: firstly, to reduce the distance between the conventional university pathway and businesses with a global change agenda; and secondly, to create opportunities for interaction between students and policymakers or NGO personnel. This interaction can offer students the chance to understand that economic growth can be achieved in a fair, sustainable and responsible way. Similarly, NGOs can benefit from interactions with young people who are strongly motivated to effect an economic transition. The university can act as the ideal facilitator for interactions between social actors with different perspectives, within the framework of the learning process.
Summary: Key features in a nutshell
- Originated from academic team’s observation: a lack of offering in the academic programs about social business theories but the willing to know more about the topics by the students.
- Resulted in 4 open lessons named “Social Business Talks” hosted by academic course with some connections with social business held by professionals of the private sector, policymakers and academics.
- Since the importance of the topics, the open lessons were open also to public sector workers, third sector workers and civil society (for example, NGO’s).
- Mobilized academia, policymakers, private sector to spread knowledge among students and civil society.
- Included final debate and networking thanks to the availability of the speakers to informal chatting after the lecture.
- Ultimately, it allows for a new perspective and a broader understanding of the policy-making and implementation process.
Starting point
The impetus for establishing a series of open lessons that would facilitate the comprehension of social business theories emerged from the observations by the Yunus Social Business Centre – Ca’ Foscari University’s team. The academic programme offered by the Department of Economics and the Venice School of Management, in particular, is characterized by a small number of courses relating to social dimension of business. The intention was therefore to bring those experiences together in a coordinated manner, drawing on the specific expertise of each lecturer involved. The Centre is, in fact, divided into several research units, and we have endeavour to organize at least one open lecture per research unit. Social business talks’ case study points out how it is possible to engage students when it comes to topics that are not so focused in the academics course although their attention is considered crucial. This initiative was launched by Yunus Social Business Centre – Ca’ Foscari University with the support by the Department of Economics at Ca’ Foscari University Venice, the Venice School of Management and Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage at Ca’ Foscari University Venice under the Erasmus+ ENGAGEgreen project.
- How does the format work?
Before the lecture:
- identify lecturers who teach master’s degree courses with potential links to the key issues of social business
- identify the topic to be linked to the key issues of social business (in our case: social innovation, healthcare, social impact, international cooperation)
- identify external speakers to contribute to the lectures and checking their availability
- draw up the schedule
- prepare the promotional flyer and distributing it
- collect the applications
During the lecture:
- set up the room
- collect feedback from speakers and participants
- take a photo of classes
After the lecture:
- send a thank-you note
- post on LinkedIn with a photo and the key points that emerged
- Who should be involved as participants?
Master degree’s students, bachelor degree’s students, doctoral students, researchers, professors, public sector organizations and third sector associations.
Challenges
- Involve students that may be interested in the topics.
- Involve public sector workers, third sector workers and civil society during working hours.
- Make public sector organizations, third sector associations and civil society aware that the lessons are open to everyone and that anyone can attend (there is a tendency for university lectures to be perceived from the outside as being intended solely for students).
- Ensure that current and relevant topics are included.
Task and resources
Academics
The programme is very time-efficient for academics. Since the open lessons are held as part of lectures that have already been organized, the major effort concerns involvement of the speakers.
Support staff (Researchers, Knowledge exchange managers and research managers)
The Departments used:
- one researcher who were already on staff to handle the organizational management of the initiative;
- one research manager who handled the promotion of the initiative.
Students/policymakers/researchers/workers from public bodies and Third sector
Participants must submit an application form, which takes one minute to complete.
Required funding
Travelling cost for speakers.
Links
LinkedIn posts
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7463178068925247489
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7459968415202484225
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7407538176900243456
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7406374813172224001
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7401670730335166465
- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7400163971191787520
Yunus Social Business Centre – Ca’ Foscari University
Photos
2 December 2025 | Social Innovation as a driver of social business
12 December 2025 | Innovation and digital transformation at Save the Children: organisational challenges and opportunities
15 December 2025 | POP Report – Popular Financial Reporting
18 May 2026 | (F)or (I)mpact o(R) (M)oney? What positive role can FIRMs play in international cooperation for development?
Do you want to know more about the policy engagement toolkit?
Do you want to share your experience in policy engagement? Do you think about contributing to the policy engagement toolkit? Feel free to contact Tome Sandevski via science-policy@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de
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