The conference is hosted by the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) at Roskilde University, and organised by the EMES European Research Network (EMES). It aims to gather scholars from all regions of the world – both senior and early-stage researchers – who are engaged in research on social innovation and social entrepreneurship, in advanced as well as in developing and transition countries.
The EMES European Research Network – Created in 1996, the EMES European Research Network has developed into a leading research network, focused on the study of social enterprises and third sector organisations. On the basis of a large European research project carried out over five years, the Network organised the 1st EMES International Conference, titled The Social Enterprise. A comparative perspective, at the University of Trento in 2001. This event and the first EMES book, The Emergence of Social Enterprise (Routledge, 2001), launched the topic of “social enterprise” as a research theme on the European scene. Through various other books and publications, EMES researchers also succeeded in promoting a more widespread knowledge of the concept of social enterprise, both in Europe and outside Europe, and pinpointed new research themes that have been thoroughly investigated in recent years.
EMES promotes the development of innovative analytical frameworks on social enterprise among scholars engaged in third sector research through events and scientific seminars such as the scientific seminar hosted by the CSE of Roskilde University (Denmark) in 2007, the 2nd EMES International Conference in Trento (July 2009) or the European conferences co-organised with the International Society for Third Sector Research in 2005 and 2008. Through its research, publications, and events, EMES has played a major role in establishing social enterprise as a field of study, in the context of changing institutional configurations of the social and solidarity economy and civil society.
In addition, EMES has organised two successful PhD Summer Schools, namely the 1st EMES PhD Summer School (July 2008) in Corsica, France, and the 2nd EMES PhD Summer School (July 2010) in Roskilde, Denmark. As a founding member of the University Network for Social Entrepreneurship, EMES is also committed to strengthening an emerging community of researchers across the world via scientific publications, syllabi and other course materials as well as an on-line platform for exchanges. EMES has been publishing the results of its research in the form of seminal books and a Working Papers series. See www.emes.net for more information or to download Working Papers and other EMES publications.
The Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (Center for Socialt Entreprenørskab, or CSE) – Founded in 2007, the CSE is based in the Department of Psychology and Educational Studies at Roskilde University Centre, near Copenhagen.
The Centre carries out education and research activities in the area of social entrepreneurship, social enterprise, welfare studies and civil society. It has pioneered Europe’s first Masters in Social Entrepreneurship, with 38 mature students from the public and third sector. Its international team of academics supports the two-year, part-time programme of studies. CSE conducts research, most recently on learning and welfare-to-work policies in Denmark, supports capacity building and has established an extensive research programme for doctoral students. The Centre is directed by Linda Lundgård Andersen, an expert in social learning, and builds on the work of Lars Hulgård, a founding member of EMES and of the CINEFOGO-Network of Excellence, funded by the EU, Sixth Framework Programme. The Centre has links with the Co-operatives Research Unit (EMES founding member in the UK) and the University of East London as well as Lancastershire University, UK.
