| Project name | Bravely for Innovation: A Program for Educating Social Innovators in the Visegrad Countries |
|---|---|
| Grant provider | International Visegrad Fund (No. 22530248) |
| Project start date | 2026 |
| Project end date | 2027 |
| Grant provided | € 33.588 |
| Main leader | University of Lodz |
Project annotation
The primary issue the Bravely for Innovation project is the limited implementation of social innovation in the V4 countries.
In this era of a risky society – characterized by rapid social change and increasingly multifaceted problems – the role of social innovations is increasing. The implementation of social innovations is mainly carried out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in partnership with other entities. Intersectoral cooperation in post-socialist V4 countries is hindered by a relatively low level of social capital and the insufficient resources of NGOs, including their limited human resources.
To address the limited implementation of social innovation in V4 countries and the lack of academic programs dedicated to social innovation, the Bravely for Innovation project will develop a 20-hour online course tailored to the real challenges faced by NGOs in the V4 region.
Achieving the main goal of the project will be possible through the following actions:
- Experts will assess NGOs‘ needs and design training program for social innovators.
- At least 60 students will participate in a 20-hour training program.
- During the training program, students will work in groups to design prototypes of social innovations that address real-world problems identified by NGOs.
- The training program will undergo extensive evaluation.
- Recommendations for training social innovators will be disseminated.
- The Social Innovations Forum will be held, providing a space for the integration of students, NGOs, and experts from the V4 countries.
Project partners
University of Lodz
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra
University of Miskolc
Prague University of Economics and Business
https://projekty.fm.vse.cz/
The Institute participates in the Bravely for Innovation project, which received financial support from the Visegrad Fund!
We invite you to follow the main website of the project:
https://www.bravelyforinnovation.uni.lodz.pl/
Project overview
The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
https://www.visegradfund.org/
The primary issue of the Bravely for Innovation project is the limited implementation of social innovation in the V4 countries.
In this era of risky society - characterized by rapid social change and increasingly multifaceted problems - the role of social innovations is increasing.
The implementation of social innovations is mainly carried out by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in partnership with other entities. Intersectoral cooperation in post-socialist V4 countries is hindered by a relatively low level of social capital and the insufficient resources of NGOs, including their limited human resources.
To address the limited implementation of social innovation in V4 countries and the lack of academic programs dedicated to social innovation, the Bravely for Innovation project will develop a 20-hour online course tailored to the real challenges faced by NGOs in the V4 region.
Achieving the main goal of the project will be possible through the following actions:
1. Experts will assess NGOs' needs and design training program for social innovators.
2. At least 60 students will participate in a 20-hour training program.
3. During the training program, students will work in groups to design prototypes of social innovations that address real-world problems identified by NGOs.
4. The training program will undergo extensive evaluation.
5. Recommendations for training social innovators will be disseminated.
6. The Social Innovations Forum will be held, providing a space for the integration of students, NGOs, and experts from the V4 countries.
Innovative approach
The project's uniqueness stems from several factors.
First, it will establish a network of cooperation between partner universities, NGOs, and experts.
In the V4 countries, such a broad group of activists interested in implementing social innovations does not yet exist. The creation of a network of cooperation increases the chances of implementing innovations in local communities.
Second, the project reaches back to the grassroots and aims to increase the number of social innovations in each V4 country by educating young activists.
This education will equip them with the knowledge, competencies, and skills necessary to implement social innovations in NGOs. This will be achieved through a unique online training course.
Third, training for social innovators will be tailored to the actual needs of NGOs and students, taking into account the specific needs of NGOs from V4 countries.
A detailed diagnosis of these needs is planned.
Fourth, the training program will be disseminated to all entities interested in social innovation, and all developed elements of the training program willbe available.
Online guides will also be produced describing the training of social innovators in connection with the activities of V4 NGOs in implementing social innovations.
Fifth, a Social Innovations Forum will be organised.
The Forum will serve to integrate NGOs from theV4, social innovators, and researchers dealing with the implementation of social innovations. It will also present an innovative training program for social innovators, and students will show prototypes of social innovations.
Project partners
Project coordinator (Poland):
Center of Social Innovation of the University of Lodz
Contact details: Katarzyna Zajda br>
E-mail: btk.atti@uni-miskolc.hu
National coordinator (Slovakia)
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra https://www.uniag.sk/en/main-page
Contact details: Danka Moravčíková
E-mail: danka.moravcikova@uniag.sk
National coordinator (Hungary)
Institute of Applied Social Sciences of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Miskolc) https://atti.uni-miskolc.hu/inenglish.htm
E-mail: kinga.szabo.toth@uni-miskolc.hu
The first official meeting of the partnership implementing the Bravely for Innovation project is behind us!
During an online meeting on February 2, 2026, we got to know each other better among the project steering committee members. The steering committee includes representatives from each partner institution:
Katarzyna Zajda, Project coordinator (Center of Social Innovation of the University of Lodz, Poland)
E-mail: katarzyna.zajda@uni.lodz.pl
Danka Moravčíková, National coordinator (Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia)
E-mail: danka.moravcikova@uniag.sk
Kinga Szabó-Tóth, National coordinator (Institute of Applied Social Sciences of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Miskolc), Hungary)
E-mail: kinga.szabo.toth@uni-miskolc.hu
Katarína Krpálková Krelová, National coordinator (Faculty of Finance and Accounting (Prague University of Economics and Business), Czechia) E-mail: katarina.krelova@vse.cz
Kateřina Berková, National coordinator (Faculty of Management (Prague University of Economics and Business), Czechia)
E-mail: katerina.berkova@vse.cz
E-mail: katerina.berkova@vse.cz
We're about to begin work on the first stage of the project: Preparing training for social innovators. Stay up-to-date and visit the project's main website: https://www.bravelyforinnovation.uni.lodz.pl/
The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
Intézetünk Erasmus kapcsolatokat ápol az alábbi felsőoktatási intézményekkel:
Sakarya University Turkey, Koordinátor: Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga
Universitatea din Oradea, Koordinátor: Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga
KATHO Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen
Evangelische Hochschule Ludwigsburg, Koordinátor: Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga
University of Łodz, Koordinátor: Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga
Universytet Rzeszowski, Koordinátor: Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga
Kielce School of Economics, Tourism and Social Sciences, Koordinátor: Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga
University of Tampere
University of Trieste
Tomas Bata University in Zlín
Universidade do Porto
Leuveni Katolikus Egyetem
Granadai Egyetem
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
Nagyváradi Egyetem
Thesszaloniki Egyetem
E kapcsolat keretében már több hallgatónk vett részt egy szemeszteres részképzésen, illetve nyári egyetemen a fenti intézmények valamelyikében.
Az Intézet egyes oktatói is ápolnak nemzetközi kapcsolatokat más felsőoktatási intézményekkel, kutatóintézetekkel:
Gyukits György, egyetemi adjunktus:
- APRAE, Franciaország
- FICO, Kolozsvár
Dr. Szabó-Tóth Kinga Dóra, egyetemi docens:
- Sakarya University Esentepe Kampusu, Faculty of Arts and Sciences – Department of Sociology, Törökország
- CCSR, University of Manchester, GB
Dr. Szepessy Péter, egyetemi adjunktus:
- Nagyváradi Egyetem
Intézetünk 2009. szeptemberében csatlakozott a „To-Gather”. European Multiple Choice Identity” című 12 országot érintő nemzetközi projekthez.