Master of Arts in Social Innovation

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?All innovations are socially relevant"

In the words of  Prof J. Hochgerner - a comment that certainly calls for attention. Being the founder and leading head of the Centre for Social Innovation in Vienna, Josef Hochgerner has been researching and evaluating the consequences and implications of technical innovations and economic globalisation processes on social change and the hence resulting social challenges such as the increase in poverty, demographic changes, work-life balance, aging society, globalisation and labour markets, the need for reform in education and health as well as climate change.

Due to the recent global economic crisis, the demand for worldwide social innovations has been transferred to a political level. Since then, the support and promotion of social innovations has become a central issue not only in political discussion on European level. Organisations such as the UN and OECD have recognised the political significance of the subject and its international, national and regional dimension, and even the White House has established/created a "Bureau of Social Innovation" under the current US-president Barack Obama.

Despite recent demands and public attention towards the issue, there has not been any professional education on master's level on the topic of social innovations available. This educational gap has now been closed by introducing the first part-time master's programme provided by a collaborative partnership between Danube University Krems and the Centre for Social Innovation Vienna. The respective master's programme aims at individuals planning to initiate and implement social innovations in the public, private and civil sector.

During five terms the "MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIAL INNOVATION" develops competencies and provides a practical qualification profile for "Social Innovators" under the scientific supervision of Prof Hochgerner. The respective master's programme prepares participants for taking on positions in the development, planning and implementation of social transformation processes in organisations, as well as for positions in consulting and supervision.

Master of Arts in Social Innovation to begin on 21 December 2012 in Austria.