Universities are a crucial component of the innovation ecosystem, however the majority of measures of innovation evaluate their impact on doctoral students research publications, patents, scientific papers and commercialization of technologies. What are the reasons we shouldn't overlook the possibility of universities to generate value by fostering innovations in the social sphere? The Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, often known as "the world's action list"--include gender equality and human rights and human rights, which are, in turn, closely linked to a variety of other goals. Through making use of research and human capital to promote the development of inclusive innovations universities can be a catalyst to make huge strides in economic, social, and ecological development.
The Diversity Institute at Ryerson University, the Diversity Institute (DI) collaborates in cooperation with a variety of stakeholders to apply research, expertise, innovation processes, and a wealth of talent to promote diversity and inclusion in the fields of politics, employment as well as health, education and the community. Since 1999 it has been a leader in the field. DI has developed methods for bringing about changes, for instance by providing light on the challenges that are faced by different groups (considered to be a "best practice" by the Ontario Human Rights Commission) and creating methods that are based on evidence to promote changes. It was the UN Global Compact declared DI to be an excellent practice among business schools due to its ability to translate research into action, leveraging the power of innovation to increase inclusiveness.
In collaboration with various academic collaborators, the government as well as private sector communities, DI utilizes systems thinking to overcome barriers for minority groups, and consequently, enhance social outcomes and encourage economic growth. With the help of the Critical Ecological Model The organization is focused on understanding the social, organizational, and personal factors that contribute to an environment of inequality to devise, implement and evaluate new approaches for advancing the inclusion of all groups.
This analysis guides the efforts to tackle issues at the societal personal, and organizational levels. For instance, DI research informs the creation of laws that define and reflect values, as also combatting stereotypes that are propagated in the media. At the level of the organization, DI has developed tools to increase the capacity of organizations increasing diversity and inclusion in the workplace in non-profit and corporate leadership, and the provision for social assistance. Also, in acknowledging the contribution of the individual in making wide-ranging social changes, DI focuses on strategies to increase the capacity of individuals to effect changes. The ecological model permits DI to bridge the ideological and theoretical divisions that usually create a dichotomy between structural change and individual autonomy.