Catalyst for Change: Transformative and Inclusive Strategies in Social Science Commercialisation

This report examines how higher education institutions can embed inclusive innovation within social science research. Mainstreaming inclusion ensures that the partnerships, products, and markets generated through university research reflect the full diversity of the populations they serve. Without deliberate design, innovation becomes incomplete—leaving critical societal needs unaddressed, untapped markets unexplored, and non-STEM or minoritised researchers excluded from systems that define institutional value.

Drawing on research linking gender equality to innovation capacity, the report incorporates findings from participatory design-thinking workshops that identified major barriers to engagement, including limited time, poor communication, and restricted access to networks and funding. It concludes that higher education institutions must take active leadership in bridging stakeholder gaps across the innovation ecosystem. By facilitating cross-sector collaboration, universities can make commercialisation genuinely accessible to researchers working outside traditional STEM frameworks.

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