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Some questions and answers about the ECIC's new Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation 

What is social entrepreneurship?

A social entrepreneur is a change agent (either an individual or a group) who sees a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to help solve the problem, bringing about social change. The emphasis helping people to help themselves, without having to wait for governments or donors – in other words, social entrepreneurship can be seen as “do-it-yourself social change”.

Though social enterprises are often structured as businesses, their primary goal is social change. Profit is sought only for sustainability rather than for maximizing wealth.

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Some examples

In 2006, Mohammed Yunus, who founded the Grameen Bank, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in social entrepreneurship. The Grameen Bank pioneered the use of micro-credit in poor communities in Bangladesh, helping village people set up small businesses – such as buying a mobile phone that villagers could use as a public phone.

Other examples include sheltered workshops, indigenous community organizations in central Australia, and arts organizations such as theatre companies. At the top end of the scale, there are large multinational NGOs, such as the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.

However, not every not-for-profit organization engages in social entrepreneurship.  For example, whole governments, most recreational clubs, and industry associations are not considered social entrepreneurship – though they can certainly use some of the methods involved.

How does social entrepreneurship compare with business entrepreneurship, and with social innovation?

Business entrepreneurship is defined as increasing wealth through innovation. (Most small businesses are not innovative, so do not qualify as entrepreneurial). The main difference between business entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship is that business entrepreneurs seek to maximize their personal wealth.  Social entrepreneurs have social change as their primary goal, with profitability as a stepping stone towards that goal.

Social innovation is a more abstract term than social entrepreneurship: a more external concept, excluding the personal and team element necessary in social entrepreneurship. Social innovation is the result of successful social entrepreneurship.

Is social entrepreneurship a new concept?

The concept has been around since the 1960s, developing first in Britain and France. In recent years these different ideas for social action have been given the name of social entrepreneurship (and social innovation). The philosophy of social entrepreneurship is that communities can help themselves, without needing to wait for governmental permission to act. In the last few years, a number of leading universities overseas have begun offering courses and degrees in social entrepreneurship – including Harvard and Stanford in the USA, and Oxford in the UK.

Who should study social entrepreneurship?

Those who would benefit most from studying social entrepreneurship include

• Would-be social entrepreneurs, actively planning to set up a social enterprise
• People already working in not-for-profit organizations, who want to gain a more detailed understanding of possibilities and techniques
• People working in government and local authorities, or seeking an advisory position in this sector.
• Others who can benefit include social workers, environmental activists, non-profit sector managers, arts administrators, indigenous administrators, philanthropists, and natural resource managers.

What courses will be available?

In 2008 the Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC) at the University of Adelaide is introducing Australia’s first university qualification in social entrepreneurship. Though single courses are offered at several interstate universities, no others offer the depth of the University of Adelaide’s Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship

The Graduate Certificate consists of four courses consisting of two core sourses and two electives. The two core courses are:

Social Entrepreneurship

An introduction to social entrepreneurship, using a wide range of case studies to reveal best practices, successes and failures, opportunities and constraints. Course code TECHCOMM 7019.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation 

Examines entrepreneurship as the driver of innovation, managing innovative enterprises and start-ups, in a broader context than purely social entrepreneurship. This is an existing course, TECHCOMM 5016, coordinated by Professor Noel Lindsay.

Electives can be chosen from those offered in the Graduate Certificate in Buisiness Enterprise, Graduate Certificate in Science & Technology Commercialisation, the Graduate Certificate of Project Management or courses developed specifically for the Graduate Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation such as Social Venture Funding, Foresight and Social Change.

It is possible to complete the Graduate Certificate in one semester. The maximum time allowed is two years. As soon as we finalize the course dates for 2008, they’ll be posted on this website.

How are the courses structured?

All ECIC courses are run on an intensive basis: typically two full days in the classroom, a break of several weeks for assignment projects to be done, concluding with two further full days of face-to-face sessions. The courses in social entrepreneurship will consist mainly of case studies and discussions of students’ assigned reading. There will be no formal lectures.

How is students’ work assessed?

There are no examinations in the four courses in this program. In general, each course has a minor assignment, and a major assignment (from working with a particular organization, found either by the student or ECIC). Further marks are awarded for participation in discussions, both in person and online.

Is it possible to gain this certificate through distance education?

Yes, it’s possible, though we don’t recommend it, as students would miss out on the interaction that makes intensive sessions work so well. However if you are already working in a social enterprise far from Adelaide, and have support from co-workers, the distance education option should be viable, as long as you have enough self-discipline (and available time) to keep up your study.

Do you offer a more detailed program than the Graduate Certificate?

If demand for this Graduate Certificate is as strong as we hope, we expect to introduce a Master’s degree in a few years’ time. An existing further option is a doctorate: the ECIC already has several PhD students focusing on social entrepreneurship.

What is the cost of this program?

Each ECIC course in 2008 will cost $2120 for domestic Australian students, and $2575 for international students, so the entire Graduate Certificate will cost $8480 for domestic students, plus several hundred dollars for textbooks.

What is the ECIC?

The Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre is a fairly new centre in the University of Adelaide. Over the last five years, it has gained a strong reputation for academic excellence in its three core areas of innovation and entrepreneurship, technology commercialisation, and project management. It is headed by Professor Noel Lindsay, one of the world’s leading academics in the area of indigenous entrepreneurship – which is closely related to social entrepreneurship.
As at late 2007, the ECIC office is in Yarrabee House, a graceful old stone house at the corner of North Terrace and Hackney Road in Adelaide; in 2008 we are expecting to move to the main Adelaide University campus on North Terrace, where our courses are held. We also have an incubator at the Thebarton campus, where students can rent rooms and work on setting up their own enterprises, and where several scholarships are available for students enrolled in Master’s degrees.

Further information

We are working on an extensive collection of links and other resources for this  section of the site.
Email inquiries can be sent to ecic@adelaide.edu.au

For personal inquiries, please telephone the ECIC office on (08) 8303 7422, or visit us at Level 1, Engineering South Building, Adelaide.