Unpacking the role of universities in the emergence, development and impact of social innovations – A systematic review of the literature

Widening income and knowledge inqualities have led to growing expectations for universities to integrate social innovation in their core missions as a response to societal problems.This systematic review of literatureprovides an overview of the state-of-the-art of knowledge on the role of the university in enabling social innovation through its missions of teaching, research and third mission. It also identifies knowledge gaps in the field. A bibliometric approachwas usedto identify and analyze books, journal articles and reports examining factors drivingsocial innovation activities at universities, organizational and insitutional change to accommodate such activities as well as their impact.The review revealsthatthe literature on university engagementin socially-oriented activities as part of the third mission of the university is conceptually well developed and a growing field of inquiry. It alsopoints togaps in the knowledge base; relatively few studiesaddressissues related to institutional change and incentive structures that influences the abilityof universities to engage in social innovation. Likewise, impact studies on social innovation activities at universities are scarce.Further research that builds an impact measurement framework wouldsupport the process of integrating social innovation activitiesin the three missions of the university.