Title : The Role of Universities in Community Development through Social Innovation (A Case Study of Co-Operative University, Thanlyin)

Keywords : Role of universities, social innovation, SISU, marginalized and disadvantaged people, community development

Description : This study investigates the extent of social innovation support unit (SISU) of Co-operative University, Thanlyin which will create a positive impact for the community and how theories of community development and social innovation can be applied in the universities’ organizational dynamics. There are too many people who face social challenges in the community such as jobless, disability barriers, street children, risk and vulnerability, gender issues, low education, environmental pollution, etc. University students and young people can play a role in helping solve these challenges. Thus, it is important that universities play a main role in the community to address a lot of social needs and problems as they have more socially responsible and more innovative potential of young and knowledgeable students and educators. Universities can help students by providing and enhancing the knowledge of social innovation to become better problems solvers of future challenges. Social innovation is the most powerful tool to reduce poverty and improve social inclusion for the local areas surrounding universities. Universities committed to social innovation can contribute to community development process by establishing SISU that promotes the development of ideas, solutions to the problems at hand, and collaboration with students, staff and potential industry stakeholders. Therefore, this study was conducted to describe the role of universities in community development, to explore the practices of social innovation done by Co-operative University, Thanlyin, to assess the effects of SISU on community development, and to inform the policy makers through the results of the research. Descriptive analysis and simple random sampling methods which mean a great deal of completion of data collection and to interpret the results for this research were applied. One hundred and forty (140) trainees among SISU users from Co-operative University, Thanlyin in the community were surveyed. Data gathered including the effects of SISU functions of the university on community development. Results indicate that building SISU at universities will be the positive impact for development of the community and for encouragement of the social innovation culture and mind-set in young people. It was also found that SISU team need to provide vocational trainings for generating learning opportunities as well as job opportunities for those who face many social challenges. Hence, the study recommends that every university should provide higher education to the students to achieve not only academic qualification but also the professional and skill development as well as vocational education to the marginalized and disadvantaged people in socially exclusion and in poverty to achieve a unique status in the community. Moreover, universities’ leaders should collaborate with external stakeholder partners in tackling social issues in the community.