Official Launch of the Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation

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Friday, November 25, 2011 - 15:00 - 16:00
Main Foyer, Environment 3 Building, University of Waterloo

To celebrate the new Graduate Diploma Program in Social Innovation, SiG@Waterloo will be hosting an official launch event in the new Environment 3 building, University of Waterloo.

This event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 25, 2011 from 3-4pm with the following special guests:

  • Mark Weber, Director of the Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation program
  • AndrĂ© Roy, Dean, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo
  • Frances Westley, J.W. McConnell Chair in Social Innovation, University of Waterloo
  • Dr. Kellie Leitch, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
  • Feridun Hamdullahpur, President, University of Waterloo
  • Stephen Huddart, President, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

For more information or to register to attend, please email info@sig.uwaterloo.ca

This event is free to attend and light refreshments will be served.

About the Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation

The Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation, a partnership between leading academics at the University of Waterloo, expert practitioners from across Canada, and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, will very intentionally engage professionals from different sectors across Canada. The first year of the program currently consists of 34 students with the participants in the program being professionals from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Together they will learn about the concepts and theories that frame ideas related to social innovation, form small tri-sector teams focused on an issue, and then apply new ideas to design strategies that address challenges. As our society becomes increasingly complex and interconnected, we understand that we must develop more sophisticated responses to pressing problems. Organizations and individuals committed to finding effective solutions know that it is impossible to create this kind of transformation alone: new forms of engagement are required between organizations and across sectors; new knowledge must be created; and new roadmaps for action are needed.