Social innovation in university-community partnerships in Latin America : exploring collaborative models

Social Innovation (SI) has become vital for addressing societal issues and uplifting community well-being. This article explores how universities are crucial in fostering SI through collaborative partnerships with communities. The main objective is to elucidate the primary characteristics of such partnerships that promote sustainable entrepreneurship. Universities, while communities, provide invaluable insights into localized challenges. The methodology combines abductive reasoning and case studies, evolving as theoretical frameworks, empirical fieldwork, and case analysis. Four carefully selected case studies meet specific criteria related to academia-community relationships, knowledge generation, SI narratives, socioeconomic and environmental contexts, accessibility, and participation. The study employs abductive and dialogical reasoning, combining induction and deduction to generate innovative ideas. Co-design interviews with researchers enhance the co-production process, providing a deeper understanding of SI initiatives. These interviews occurred from March 2021 to January 2023. This article highlights universities as essential agents of positive transformation, offering opportunities for students, faculty, and communities to engage in impactful endeavors. It also identifies seven key characteristics that promote SI entrepreneurship between universities and communities.