«We are very pleased to welcome you to the conference “Rethinking
Innovation: Inclusive Practices and Interdisciplinary Perspectives”.
This year’s gathering at the University of Macerata continues ERUA’s
valued tradition of convening an annual social innovation (SOCIN)
conference. Scholars, academics, practitioners, and innovators are
encouraged to rethink the very idea of innovation for societal benefits,
exploring inclusive, interdisciplinary, and critical approaches that
move beyond conventional paradigms. Since the inception of this
conference series, ERUA has promoted social innovation as a way of
connecting research with societal transformation, enabling universities
to act not only as institutions of higher learning but also as catalysts
of change. The 2025 edition of the SOCIN conference is organised in
collaboration with the Safina-Vitality project, coordinated by the
University of Macerata, a project that is nested within a broader
initiative, funded by NextGenerationEU and launched in 2022 with the aim
to create or strengthen regional innovation ecosystems. Social
innovation is a defining concept of ERUA as well as Safina-Vitality;
hence the decision to join forces and generate further synergies between
the research conducted in the framework of both ERUA and
Safina-Vitality. It is indeed crucial for the continuation of ERUA that
its programmes and activities are fully embedded in the academic life of
partner universities, leveraging internal strengths and expertise. One
way of doing this is by creating opportunities for scholars and
researchers, involved in different projects, to congregate, exchange
ideas, disseminate their findings and hopefully cultivate future
collaborations...» Introduction, Silvana Colella, Giulia Bruna, Jessica Piccinini
Keynote Speakers Prof. Ineke Sluiter Prof. Ana-Cristina Santos
Presentations PS 1a: Epistemic Justice, Social Impact, and Innovation PS 1c: Climate change, environmental migration and sustainable development PS 1d: Language in Intercultural Communication: Tradition, Continuity and Emerging Innovations [PART 1] PS
1e: Inclusion and Transformative Citizenship. Afro-descendant
Identities as Social and Cultural innovators in Contemporary Racial
“Contact Zones” [PART 1] PS 2a: Justice and Memory: Toward a Shared European Identity PS 2b: Learning, education and career PS 2c: Overturning Discourses and Attitudes: Innovative Practices to Combat Anti-Migrant Perceptions PS 2d: Language in Intercultural Communication: Tradition Continuity and Emerging Innovations [PART 2] PS
2e: Inclusion and Transformative Citizenship. Afro-descendant
Identities as Social and Cultural Innovators in Contemporary Racial
“Contact Zones” [PART 2] PS 3a: AI, Authorship and Creativity PS 3b: Towards inclusivity and justice PS 3c: Migration as a driver of change: on policies, politics, civic engagement and the economy PS 3d: Social innovation [PART 1] PS 3e: Intersectional Challenges, Innovative Responses: Gender, Parenthood, and Social Work in Transition PS 4a: Plurilingualism, Self-Narration, and Identity Dynamics in Afro-Descendant and Diasporic Communities PS
4b: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Challenges of Interdisciplinary
Inclusion: pedagogical and creative learning environments PS 4c: Beyond Buzzwords: Artistic Innovation and Inclusive Social Change PS 4d: The role of co-creation and arts-based research for engaging communities in controversial heritage contexts PS 4e: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Healthcare challenges PS 5a: Entrepreneurship and Digital Humanities PS 5b: Inclusive learning PS 5c: Every child - a full member of the community: Building an effective model for intersectoral cooperation PS 5d: Social Innovation [PART 2] PS 5e: Migration and mobility PS 6a: Technological innovation in Academia PS
6b: Heritage making and unmaking in the global/local continuum:
interdisciplinary trajectories and critical approaches to social
innovation in heritage research PS 6c: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Healthcare policy and management PS 6d: Social and Environmental Impact PS 6e: Imagining Social Sustainability through Creative and Local Practices PS 7a: Air and the Quality of Life: Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Practices PS 7b: Testing AI Chatbots PS 7c: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Care and social work PS 7e: Sustainability and social bias PS 8a: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Cultural Heritage and the Arts [PART 1] PS 8b: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Dimensions of Ageing [PART 1] PS 8c: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Smart Solutions: urban, rural and cultural PS 8e: Interdisciplinarity at the edge PS 9a: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Cultural Heritage and the Arts [PART 2] PS 9b: Digital self-exclusion and Human-AI collaboration PS 9c: Special Session SAFINA-VITALITY - Dimensions of Ageing [PART 2] PS 9e: Upholding Victims’ Rights in the Fight Against Online Fraud PS 10a: Transforming Academia PS 10c: Caring for Children PS 10d: Security and AI-Driven Innovation