Mission and Goals

The challenge

We live in a world that is becoming more complex every day. New technologies are creating new opportunities, but also causing massive disruptions in society, affecting the way we live, work and play. Using H. Ritell's terminology, we are facing a new wave of “wicked” problems - a “class of social system problems which are ill-formulated.” New solutions and new methods are needed, because the methods we currently use are no longer effective. Einstein captured the challenge when he said “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”

Mission

The Soros Foundation Kyrgyzstan and the American University of Central Asia have founded a Social Innovations Lab with the purpose of developing innovative approaches to social change and social justice in Central Asia. Hosted by AUCA, the Lab brings together research and development organizations to conduct research, publish reports, organize events, make recommendations for public policies, and make use of advanced technologies to create marketable solutions. 

Guiding Principles

• Develop innovative approaches to understanding problems and developing solutions
• Conduct data-driven research; provide evidence-based recommendations
• Encourage collaborative projects that bring together institutions and sectors
• Share research findings at public events and release them into the public domain
• Collaborate with social enterprises that are interested in creating sustainable business models for delivering solutions

The Social Innovation Lab is currently a virtual space. The goal is to develop a physical space to host researchers, collaborators, and events, and stimulate creative thinkings, synergy and serendipity.