i.            To examine the training needs of university students on social innovation education.

       ii.            To assess the level of awareness of university students on social innovation

     iii.            To determine training thematic areas for university social innovation education  

This study focused on university students at University of Eldoret. Currently University of Eldoret does not have a programme on social innovation. This study aimed at examining the needs of the students on social innovation to aid in development of a curriculum on social innovation to be introduced as a parallel programme at the university.  

  Majority of Kenya’s university graduates lack formal employment and are left seeking for jobs over a long period of time way after graduation leading to frustration and depression. Additionally, most of these graduates lack competences to establish their own enterprises. This is despite the fact that in almost all Kenyan universities, students’ study entrepreneurship as a compulsory unit. Moreover, Kenya is characterized by a myriad of social problems. University graduates should be able to offer innovative solutions to these problems through social enterprises. The aim of this study was to assess the training needs of university students on social innovation. The findings of the study guided in the development of a curriculum on social innovation for university education. This programme will empower students at the University of Eldoret to solve social problems innovatively while also creating employment.

The purpose of this study was to gather insights from University of Eldoret students about their needs and preferences regarding social innovation university education. Their responses enabled us to tailor a training curriculum on social innovation that better suited their requirements

Students will be trained on social innovation. This will focus on empowering them to identify social problems in their communities, determine innovative solutions to these problems and develop social enterprises as vehicles of the social innovations. Moreover, this pedagogy will be learner centered, practical and not within parallel to the other university programmes, hence it will be offered as an addition to the degree pursued by the students. It will focus on 2nd year students and progress with them to the 4th/5th year (final year). It is expected that by the time of graduation, the students will have developed a social enterprise which solves the social problem identified in their community while creating employment for themselves and others. The students will be mentored throughout the programme

        i.           The expected impact is that the implementation of the curriculum based on the findings of this study will lead to graduates who can identify social problems in their communities and determine innovative solutions to the problems.

       ii.            It is also expected that the students will establish social enterprises even before graduation. This will enable them to create jobs for themselves and others.

     iii.            It is also expected that other universities that have not established social innovation education will learn from the findings of this study and implement a programme that meets the needs of the students.

Most universities in Kenya especially public universities do not offer a practical programme on social innovation. Majority focus on a unit on entrepreneurship. This study endeavored to assess the training needs of university students on social innovation. With the results of the study, a curriculum on social innovation was developed. The curriculum is therefore developed based on the actual needs of the students and not the conceptualized needs. The curriculum is set in a way that enables the students to obtain competences on social innovation regardless of their area of study and as an added advantage to the degree pursued at the university. 

·   Relatively high number of respondents had a moderate awareness of social issues suggesting a conducive environment for the implementation of self-directed social innovation curriculum

·   A noteworthy number of the respondents expressed uncertainty about their engagement in addressing social issues. This finding underscores a potential gap in knowledge and awareness among the student population regarding the principles and applications of social innovation.

·   Majority of the respondents expressed either interest or a high level of interest in engaging with the social innovation programme. The overwhelming interest underscores a significant demand and receptivity among students for initiatives focused on social innovation within the university context.

·   The respondents’ ranked the thematic areas within a social innovation curriculum as follows; Creativity, Collaboration, Networking, and Life Skills, Digital Skills. These rankings provided a robust foundation for developing a holistic and impactful social innovation curriculum.

·   The findings of the study reveal a significant concern among respondents regarding the challenges posed by time constraints and limited resources in their engagement with social innovation projects

·   a significant proportion of the sampled population, expressed a lack of awareness regarding social innovation opportunities available at the University of Eldoret