https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/S_ISWSEKnowledgeStudents will understand the concept of social entrepreneurship which should lead to the improvement of a sustainable world and the key challenges for improving planetary health. Students will understand the complex nature of wicked problems and the implications for addressing them Students will understand underlying principles of social entrepreneurship Academic SkillsStudents can reflect critically on recent academic evidence and practical issues related to social entrepreneurship and planetary health. Students can present their ideas (in English) in convincing ways that are grounded in academic knowledge Student are able to analyse complex problems using conceptual and analytical models, and to develop solutions based on academically grounded, structured approaches. Students are able to identify a challenge related to planetary health and develop an idea for a social venture to tackle this challengeBridging Theory and PracticeStudents can use key principles and approaches from social entrepreneurship to tackle wicked problems Students can apply key activities to develop a social venture idea aimed at tackling social entrepreneurship as an example of a wicked problems. By collaborating with students and experts from different disciplines, students are able to develop a solution for wicked problems and to pinpoint implications for the implementation by taking into account different disciplinary views that connect academia, policy and practice.Improving a Sustainable world by Social Entrepreneurship introduces students to the key concepts and theoretical frameworks to address complex societal challenges, known as "wicked problems", through social entrepreneurship. The course is designed for social sciences students interested in how innovative, sustainable solutions can improve the health of human civilization and the natural systems upon which it depends. By examining well-known social ventures such as TOMS Shoes, Tony’s Chocolonely and microfinance institutions, students will explore how social enterprises can drive meaningful change. A core focus of the course is learning to develop and implement social ventures that offer practical solutions to these societal problems. Students will do this from both an academic and applied-science perspectives. Students will work in multidisciplinary groups to develop a business plan for an innovative social enterprise tackling a societal problem of their choice. Using design thinking, they will create a business portfolio for their social venture and present a final pitch to showcase their idea. Collaboration is central to the course, with students engaging in peer learning and group work to reflect the diverse perspectives needed to solve wicked problems. Mirroring how the course emphasizes the importance of coordinated efforts across governments, organizations, and stakeholders. In addition to learning the fundamentals of social entrepreneurship, students will gain practical experience in business planning, teamwork, and persuasive communication. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of how to tackle these challenges on regional, national, and global levels, with the tools needed to create impactful, sustainable solutions through social entrepreneurship.Students will receive in an introduction into the concept of social entrepreneurship, design thinking, how to create and measure impact, and how to pitch an idea. Students will enjoy a combination of learning activities, both on-campus and online, delivered by a transdisciplinary teaching team consisting of different social science disciplines including organization sciences, sociology as well as global and public health and speakers from the private and public sector working on innovative approaches to maintaining and/or improving social and inclusive entrepreneurship. Interactive sessions, guest speakers, and lab sessions, knowledge clips and other online material will be combined with teamwork and student presentations and faculty and peer feedback to stimulate self-activated learning. The main teaching method used is a combination of interactive lab sessions, both theoretical, in forms of interactive sessions and practicals (see section 5). In the interactive sessions, scientific research and core concepts on selected themes are discussed, applied, and explained. During the course, you provide active and critical input, while you are also working on developing a social venture idea in teams of peers facilitated by the lecturers. In addition, we will invite field experts that will present their experiences in approaching wicked problems through social ventures and examples they have confronted during their work lives.GROUP PORTFOLIO Students will create a portfolio where they present a critical analysis of a societal problem related to social entrepreneurship and their social enterprise idea to address this problem. Groups will use and reflect on literature studied in the course to support their social enterprise idea. GROUP PRESENTATION Students will pitch their social enterprise idea as a group in a format designed for a non-academic audience. The pitch should be engaging, persuasive, and accessible, focusing on real-world impact and practical outcomes, rather than academic theory. INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS Students will write an individual 1-2 page analysis, critically reflecting on the team process, the opportunities and challenges faced in addressing wicked problems, and what they would do differently in future projects to improve their approach. Additionally, they will discuss which course materials and literature provided the most valuable insights into social entrepreneurship.2nd year bachelor students Faculty of Social Sciences. Exchange students from social science-related programmes.It is only possible to take one of the courses "AI and Society," "The Human Dimension of Sustainable Development" or "Improving a Sustainable World by Social Entrepreneurship". In this course, you cannot enroll for one of the study groups yourself, but you will be assigned by the course coordinator. The allocation will be announced via Canvas. Please note: You do have to register for the course and the other course components on VU.nl.