RESENS

Collaboration for regional renewal

RESENS is a collaboration between universities, local authorities and private operators in Norway and Sweden. The project focuses on research and development of the driving forces behind social entrepreneurship, social business and social innovation. The goal is to create cross-border learning about the mechanisms of regional renewal and contribute to the development of social entrepreneurship in the counties of Trøndelag, Jämtland and Västernorrland.

For three years, 2016–2018, Mid Sweden University and Nord University will develop learning processes to promote regional renewal through social entrepreneurship and social innovation. The project will also contribute to cross-border cooperation on knowledge and modeling of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the three regions.

The key to success

Social entrepreneurship connects economic, human, and social values. This could be perceived as challenging when it comes to established patterns of thinking and organizational structures in society. Therefore, the key to regional renewal is collaboration, cooperation and joint action between several partners, from public institutions to companies as well as individuals. The result of such processes is expected to lead to innovations that take the form of a new product, strategy, idea, or organization, fulfilling social needs. In this way, social entrepreneurship, driven by social goals, creates new connections and collaborations, which influence and change society.

The objectives of the project:

• identify and map the extent of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in the mid Norwegian-Swedish border region
• develop guidance and test social entrepreneurship and social innovation models in the border region
• identify obstacles and opportunities, and propose measures in order to take advantage of the potential of social entrepreneurship and social innovation for renewal and development processes.