Družbene inovacije na univerzah

Social innovation has emerged as a transformative paradigm as well as a potential solution for addressing complex societal challenges, be it from the issues of inequality, better living conditions, to climate change, and digitalisation. However, despite the growing academic as well as also political attention, its theoretical framing and institutional embedding remain fragmented. Universities, through their roles as knowledge producers, educators, and civic actors, hold one of the central and unique positions in shaping social innovation ecosystems. This article explores how universities can contribute to social innovation, what institutional and systemic barriers limit their engagement, and how they can strategically integrate social innovation within their missions. Combining bibliometric analysis and qualitative synthesis, this paper maps the evolution of research on this topic, identifies key conceptual trends, and outlines pathways for future orientations. The findings reveal that while universities act as important catalysts for societal transformation, their systemic impact remains constrained by structural and also political inertia. The paper concludes with recommendations on how to strengthen social innovation capacities of the universities roles and missions for social innovation.