Entry requirements

Students must have passed the course OL641E - Organising and Leading Sustainable Organisations (7,5 credits).

Main field

KSLOA Leadership and Organization

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course is included in the main area Leadership and Organisation at the advanced level of 91-120 credits.

Course contents

The course Social Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation and Sustainability examines how social entrepreneurship and social innovation can contribute to organising and leading for sustainable development in contexts where boundaries between civil society, the public sector, and business are increasingly blurred. The course explores how entrepreneurial and innovative initiatives address social and environmental challenges across organisational settings, and how such initiatives are shaped by local and global conditions for sustainable development.

The course introduces central concepts and perspectives in social entrepreneurship and social innovation as approaches to sustainability work, with particular emphasis on hybrid forms of organising, cross-sector collaboration, and the relationship between innovation and social change. Attention is given to how these approaches may contribute to systemic and regenerative change, not only by reducing negative impacts but also by renewing social and ecological relations. The course also critically examines the opportunities and limitations of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in relation to power, equality, inclusion, and impact.

The course also addresses how digitalisation and AI influence contemporary forms of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in sustainability work, with particular attention to their possibilities, limitations, and ethical implications for sustainability, equality, and inclusive innovation.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe and explain central concepts and perspectives in social entrepreneurship and social innovation as approaches to organising and leading for sustainable development across civil society, public, and business contexts.
2. Analyse how social entrepreneurship and social innovation respond to sustainability challenges in local and global contexts, including how power, equality, inclusion, and impact shape their possibilities and limitations.
3. Critically assess the role of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in contributing to systemic and regenerative change for sustainability, including their potential to renew social and ecological relations.
4. Apply theoretical perspectives to empirical cases and practical examples in order to examine how social entrepreneurship and social innovation are organised, led, and developed in sustainability work, and use AI-based support critically and ethically where relevant.
5. Reflect on their own entrepreneurial and innovative capacities in relation to sustainability work, including the ethical responsibilities involved in initiating, supporting, and leading social and environmental change.

Learning activities

The course is based on lectures, seminars, study visits, guest lectures, and applied project work. Through these learning activities, students engage with theoretical perspectives and relate them to contemporary practice in different sectors and contexts.

The course builds on student-centred learning, where students actively contribute to discussions, critically engage with course literature and empirical material, and develop their understanding through both individual and collaborative work. The learning activities support students in analysing social entrepreneurship and social innovation in relation to sustainable development, in writing an academic essay, and in exploring their own entrepreneurial and innovative capacities through an applied sustainability project.

AI-based tools may be used to support the search, structuring, and critical discussion of literature, cases, and project material, with emphasis on critical, transparent, and ethically responsible use.

Assessment

The course is evaluated through two examinations as follows:

• One individual academic essay (4,5 credits) (UA) (learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4)
• One Social entreprenurship project in groups; (3 credits) (UG) (learning outcomes 2, 4 and 5). The project is evaluated on both a written report and active participation at a presentation seminar, and assesses the stated above.

All learning outcomes are individually assessed.

To pass the course:

To pass the course all examinations must have a passing grade A-E alt G. The course grade is determined by the grade on the individual academic essay.

Course literature and other study materials

• Kickul, J. & Lyons, T. S. (latest edition). Understanding social entrepreneurship: The relentless pursuit of mission in an ever changing world. Routledge.
• Moulaert, F. & MacCallum, D. (latest edition). Advanced Introduction to Social Innovation. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.
• Prazkier, R. & Nowak, A. (latest edition). Social entrepreneurship. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Selected chapters).

Articles and additional material will be made available electronically.

Course evaluation

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

Interim rules

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

Additional information

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format.