Innovators Camp 2024 – SOCIAL INNOVATION x DIGITAL

How can we develop the competences for addressing todays› complex & systemic challenges? This is what we explored at Innovators Camp 2024, an innovation experience by UZH Innovation Hub and Z-Kubator at ZHdK Zürcher Hochschule der Künste.

🌟 focus 2024: Social Innovation X Digitalisation 🌟

A few weeks ago, we concluded IC2024 with a wonderful conclusion ceremony at ZKSD. It took a moment to integrate the work done: Throughout the camp, we went deep into the complexity of social Innovation, systemthinking and digitalisation. Dominik Mösching set the tone at our kick-off:

„Social Innovation is a term that almost everybody likes, but nobody is quite sure of what it means“ (Pol & Ville, 2009)

Over four facilitated weekend blocks, our cohort of students and researchers from BA to Postdoc developed, prototyped and tested new ideas around real, current challenges in Zürich:
🚲 Future mobility
🥙 Food waste
🏡 Affordable housing
👵 Ageing society

Our curriculum included: a mix of thematic inputs to root their work in the state-of-the-art of social innovation, hands-on tools to foster successful interdisciplinary collaboration, and (lots of) project work. We looked at complexity & system Change, social Practices, digital Ethics, impact measurement and entrepreneurial thinking & doing.

Highlights include:
🤝 7 partners from academia, industry, public administration and praxis
🏛 3 zürich-based universities (UZH – ZHDK – ETH)
🙌 50 applications
👩‍🎓 21 selected participants representing >30 disciplines from the Natural & Social Sciences, Humanities, Art & Design which formed 6 truly interdisciplinary teams
🏹 1 goal: innovate for a (digital) future we want

Personal highlight:
The intrinsic motivation and dedication by the students ❤️ When we set out to design a camp where „you learn for life“ in 2022, this is what we were dreaming of 💯 Thank you for your trust & embracing our experience-based format 🙏 Now it’s in your hands to ensure your work goes beyond the «innovation circus, and leads to true progress»

In the words of Emma Mavodza, participating PhD student:
“I felt humbled by the diverse group of participants that I was going to work with through out the camp. It became clear after a few minutes of informal interactions that I was at the right place to learn new ideas from diverse people.”

A big shout-out to everyone who contributed to the camp behind the scenes. It was a true pleasure to co-design & host IC2024 🙏 🙌

(c) Photos by Jasmin Frei