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As a capacity builder, Re-Code is committed to facilitating the sharing of expertise among schools and partners.

Re-Code Discussion Paper

Learn how schools are building social infrastructure and collaborative partnerships to foster breakthrough ideas and social enterprises.

Featured Resource

Field Notes

A visual representation of lessons learned from the RECODE network, and a window into a much larger story.

Featured Resource

Sample Practices Inventory

this is an inventory of social purpose administration and finance practices within Canadian post-secondary institutions as of 2018.

Featured Resource

Resource Archive

Explore the growing collection of resources from Re-Code and our partners.

The Role of Universities in Society

The intersecting crises of the pandemic, soaring inequality, the climate emergency, and the urgent need to combat systemic racism, are driving universities to raise big questions about their role as change agents. Universities are reconfiguring their missions and structures to address societal issues with greater intention, focus and impact. Over the course of 2020-21, a […]

   

Postsecondary Community Dialogue Brief

Postsecondary institutions are uniquely positioned to act as convenors for transformative conversations around the pressing questions of our times. There is a growing shift in the relationship between post-secondary institutions and the wider communities within which they are located. This is happening as universities and colleges leverage, and expand their traditional roles of education and […]

guide   October 2020

Unlocking the Potential of Campus Infrastructure Projects to Build Social Infrastructure for Canadian Communities

“What is the untapped potential of post-secondary campus infrastructure projects in building social infrastructure for Canadian communities?”

report   September 2021

Perspectives on Reconciliation: Lessons from the Post-Secondary Sector

In this report, we summarize the foundational themes about advancing reconciliation in the post-secondary sector. Then, we narrow in on specific actions and activities so that the reader can get an overview of what is underway, as well as opportunities for deeper work. Our hope is that these tangible examples will serve as inspiration, provoke thought, and catalyze new action.

report   February 2021

Aide-mémoire: Virtual Presidents’ Roundtable on the Value of Community Engagement

In commemoration of the 2017 Building Social Infrastructure Roundtable (click here for the 2017 aide-mémoire), the May 2020 Roundtable on the Value of Community Engagement was designed as a conversation between university presidents on the role of universities as anchor institutions. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event transitioned to virtual, and the […]

aide-memoire, link, report   May 2020

A Social Infrastructure Milestone Report & Three Year Retrospective Review

A social infrastructure milestone report and three-year retrospective review of the developments made to accelerate and scale the social impact of Canadian higher education since 2017

guide, report   May 2020

Emergency Decision-Making: a Social Impact Tool for Higher Education

With the emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions are stepping up to the challenge of pivoting their business models to play their role. Now, more than ever, institutional leaders are called upon to make immediate and profound decisions with far-reaching consequences – and with the potential to accelerate and scale their social […]

guide   

MOOC – Social Innovation for Complex Problems

This course is led by Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience’s (WISIR) Frances Westley. This resource provides free lecture videos, documents, tools, and other resources for understanding complex problems and systems, systems thinking and system entrepreneurship.

course   June 2015

Report: Perspectives on Reconciliation: A Summer Institute

  Summer Institute on Reconciliation: On August 9-15 2019, leaders of post-secondary institutions from across Canada attended “Perspectives on Reconciliation” in Yukon Territory. It aimed to help accelerate reconciliation work throughout the post-secondary sector in Canada and to connect many of the leaders at the forefront of this important journey. The Summer Institute was developed […]

   December 2019

UpSocial Challenge Brief

An opportunity exists for universities and colleges to complement their core teaching and research functions by using the many resources at their disposal to better address community needs and increase wellbeing. As schools start down this path, however, they encounter internal cultural and structural barriers. Recognizing this, Re-Code and UpSocial undertook a global scan to […]

   

Webinar: The Problem Solver’s Companion – 10 Steps to Starting a Social Enterprise

We are pleased to be working with our partner Mount Royal University in presenting a webinar featuring Shaun Loney’s new resource: The Problem Solver’s Companion: A Practitioners Guide to Starting a Social Enterprise in Canada. It is a useful guide for anyone looking to start a social purpose venture or for educators and mentors working […]

guide, webinar   Webinar: The Problem Solver's Companion - 10 Steps to Starting a Social Enterprise

Webinar: Systems Change Education in an Innovation Context

We ran a webinar in which Josh and Daniela guided us through the resources, and facilitated an energizing conversation among attendees.

   September 27 2019

Practical guides for building social infrastructure

Each of the following seven papers targets a specific stakeholder groups (students, elders, faculty, presidents, VPs external, VPs finance and VPs research) and aims to identify what YOU can do today, from your desk, or your phone, but most importantly, at your school to create a more resilient, just, equitable, and sustainable world.

guide, report   June 27, 2019

Systems Change Education in an Innovation Context

This report looks at what might be needed to shift social innovation towards a systems-change framework. Then, it explores the competencies and perspectives needed to achieve such a shift.   At the end of the report authors Joshua Cubista and Daniela Papi-Thornton have included examples of educational models and programs that are already making these shifts […]

report   

Workshop in a Box

This “Workshop in a Box is designed to make it easy for finance and administration teams to host an orientation workshop to understand the concept of social purpose administration and finance. It provides information and materials to hold a workshop that combines professional development with strategy-action, including a presentation and handout for participants.

course   2018-09-15

Higher Education, Higher Purpose

Universities – they aren’t just for teaching, research and learning anymore! In fact, a wave of social purpose administration is sweeping across post-secondary. A new article in University Manager magazine introduces administrators and finance staff who are generating positive community impacts by integrating sustainability and social responsibility into their every day practices. Read more Higher Education, […]

article   2018-09-15

Training the Archer – Accelerating Student Changemaking

Educating Student Changemakers: Although the field of changemaking is still emerging, it is becoming abundantly clear that the approach to “changemaker education” is significantly different to more traditional forms of education. In the new report Training the Archer, Alexandra Daignault examines how colleges and universities can support students to become changemakers. Read Training the Archer by clicking here

report   2018-09-15

Catalyst for Sustainability: The Achievements, Challenges, Lessons and Prospects of the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation

Summary Report: Catalyst for Sustainability: The Achievements, Challenges, Lessons and Prospects of the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation Or read the full report by clicking here 

article, report   2018-09-15

Aide-Mémoire: Presidents’ Leadership Network discussions: “Imagine the Future of Colleges and Institutes”

During the CICan Annual Conference, the Presidents’ Leadership Network held a session titled “Imagine the Future of Colleges and Institutes.”  This session focused on the role that colleges and institutes must play in meeting the needs of their learners, partners and communities. This Aide-Memoire reports the key points emerging from the event.

link   2018-09-21

RECODE & Ashoka Canada Wasan Retreat Report: July 2018

In July 2018, RECODE and Ashoka Canada convened higher ed changemakers from across Canada to build community on Wasan Island. This report contains the key retreat takeaways and next steps. This includes site visits, resource sharing, and future convenings. It also includes actions for building new partnerships that test innovations.

report   2018-07-31

Aide-Mémoire: Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) Annual Conference 2018

On June 12 2018, in Vancouver, BC, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation’s RECODE initiative and CAUBO co-hosted two back-to-back workshops on the Social Purpose Administration and Finance Framework at CAUBO’s annual conference. The purpose of the workshops was to provide an overview of the framework and engage finance and administration professionals on opportunities and challenges to […]

report   2018-07-20

Roundtable on Advancing Social Purpose in College and Institute Administration and Finance Functions to Strengthen Social Infrastructure: Aide-Mémoire

On May 2, 2018 BCIT and the McConnell Foundation hosted a Roundtable Discussion with three college and institute administrators based in Greater Vancouver, for the purposes of discussing trends, barriers and opportunities in social purpose administration and finance within the colleges and institutes sector. Administrators from the BC Association of Universities and Institutes were invited.

report   2018-06-14

COWFLOP Workshop on Social Purpose Administration and Finance: Aide-Mémoire

On April 26, 2018, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation’s RECODE initiative and CAUBO hosted a workshop with 22 senior leaders in administration and finance in Western universities. The purpose of the workshop was to present on the Social Purpose Administration and Finance Framework, get feedback on the initiative, and identify collaboration opportunities to overcome barriers and […]

report   2018-06-14

30 lessons from student-led higher education innovation

With hackED (originally RECODE Collaborate), RECODE’s first major student-facing initiative, we decided to work directly with students to try and build a movement.

report   2018-03-30

Towards a Colleges and Institutes Collaborative Initiative to Strengthen Social Infrastructure in Canada: Aide-Mémoire

On March 15, 2018 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation’s RECODE initiative co‐hosted a workshop following-up on the October 2017 roundtable where twenty-four presidents and VPs from colleges and institutes had animated discussions on the role that their institutions play in addressing key issues of our time and considered opportunities […]

report   2018-04-18

NATVAC Roundtable on Building Social Infrastructure: Aide-Mémoire

On October 31, 2017, Simon Fraser University, the University of New Brunswick and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation hosted a Roundtable discussion on University Administration Perspectives on Building Social Infrastructure. Here’s an aide-mémoire of the event by RECODE.

report   2018-02-21

Social Purpose Administration Primer

A list of sample initiatives of institutions mobilizing their financial and physical assets to enhance community wellbeing.

report   2018-02-21

Map the System 2017 Feedback Report

Last year, RECODE collaborated with the Trico Charitable Foundation and the Skoll Centre at Oxford to be the first country to hold the competition on a national level. How did it go?

report   2018-01-31

Social Impact Educator Toolkit

How do you teach systems leadership? RECODE partnered with Daniela Papi-Thornton to create a guide for educators interested in integrating the Impact Gaps Canvas and Map the System in their course offerings.

guide   2018-01-31

CICan Roundtable with College Presidents on Social Infrastructure: Aide-Mémoire

CICan’s Aide-Mémoire from the roundtable with college presidents on building social infrastructure held on October 1, 2017.

report   2018-01-31

MOOC: Transforming Business, Society, and Self with U.Lab

  MIT MOOC – see the world in new ways and practice a method that allows leaders, entire organizations, and larger social systems to connect with and actualize their highest future possibility.

course   2015-09-01

Demystifying Impact Investing

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the size, scope and scale of the impact investment sector.

report   2014-04-01

Social Enterprise in a Global Context: the role of Higher Education Institutions

  Report examines how universities and other higher education institutions around the world are collaborating and engaging with social enterprises.

   2016-05-01

RECODE Impact Reporting

  The Impact Reporting platform allows RECODE to collect, analyze, gain insights, and report on trends within and across all schools.

link   2016-02-29

RECODE Collaborate

  RECODE Collaborate is a student-led, national program designed to engage students through collaboration and dialogue on the future of higher education in Canada.

   2015-12-31

The Ashoka Journal – Spring 2016

  The first issue of The Ashoka Journal, a collection of articles, thought pieces and insights from the Ashoka global network.

article   2016-05-01

BC Social Venture Sector Labour Market Study, 2015

  Insight into B.C.’s social venture sector from a labour market perspective. This report provides information on the key issues and challenges facing social ventures and offers recommendations on the actions needed to facilitate further development of the sector across the province.

   2016-05-10

Where to Begin: How social innovation is emerging across Canadian campuses

  A deep dive into models of social innovation hubs across North America.

   2015-12-01

WEBINAR: How social innovation is emerging across Canadian campuses

  Webinar discussion with Scaled Purpose co-directors Miles DePaul and Sean Campbell to explore their findings from the recently released Scaled Purpose and Mount Royal University report: Where to Begin: How Social Innovation is Emerging Across Canadian Campuses.

video   2016-02-11

Webinar: Re-thinking the conference—A model for hands on community building & innovative prototyping

  A webinar with Simon Fraser University’s Shawn Smith and Groundswell’s Gilad Babchuk to discuss the design of SFU Surrey’s ReSchool event as a model for a hands-on conference and design sprint.

video   2016-03-23

Backgrounder on Social Procurement

Interested in further building social infrastructure on your campus, but not sure where to start? Social procurement allows institutions to mobilize their purchasing power and decisions to increase community well being. In our latest resource for post-secondary institutions, we discuss social procurement strategies and how you can implement it at your school.

report   2017-12-12

Webinar: Designing your campus change strategy

  Host Cheryl Rose walks us through the key questions involved in designing a campus change strategy.

video   2016-02-02

Webinar: Spotlight on Platforms with SoJo and Riipen

  Webinar discussion with SoJo’s AJ Tibando and Riipen’s Dana Stephenson to learn how their social businesses can support RECODE work on campus.

video   2015-12-16

Webinar: Social Innovation Labs

  Karina LeBlanc and Jakob Wildman-Sisk share their experience bringing New Brunswick’s first public social innovation lab to life—an initiative that leverages multi-sector expertise in order to understand the region’s most pressing challenges and co-create solutions for them.

video   2015-08-26

Social Innovation Lab Guide

  Detailed set of step-by-step, practical recommendations for the design and delivery of a Social Innovation Lab.

   2015-06-01

MOOC – Enabling Entrepreneurs to Shape a Better World

  This course is illustrated by a series of problem-based case studies on migration in China, Mexico, and Germany/Europe. These cases demonstrate how social action and business leadership can exert positive impact on some of the unique challenges posed by mass migration.

course   2015-05-30

Impact Investing Due Diligence Guide, Part 1

  This guide is based on the Foundation’s internal due-diligence process and it offers a framework to assess impact and financial risk and return of potential investment opportunities.

guide   2016-05-16

Strengthening Community Leadership Learning in Canada

  Results of a Canada-wide research project on leadership learning for social change.

report   2016-06-01

Webinar: Supporting Young Innovators

Ilona Dougherty outlines how educators and those working with young leaders and innovators can better support them

video   2016-06-22

Webinar: What Your Data Says

  Explore the key findings from our Post-Secondary Education Mapping Survey, which asked students, professors, campus leadership, and diverse stakeholders how can the post-secondary sector better support innovation?

video   2016-05-11

Playlist: The importance of play

  Check out The importance of play, a TED Talks playlist featuring eight talks on play as a driver of creativity, collaboration and thinking outside of the box.

   2016-07-31

RECODE WEBINAR: Why Community Leadership Matters

  Webinar with Mount Royal University’s James Stauch and Lesley Cornelisse to discuss their recently released report Strengthening Community Leadership Learning: Results of a Canada-wide research project on leadership learning for social change.

video   2017-07-06

Social Innovation Pilot Cohort: Impact Report

  Highlighting the major outcomes of the Vancouver Island Social Innovation Zone’s (VISIZ) pilot Social Innovation Cohort, which matched selected social innovation initiatives with fnancial support, and partially funded fulltime co-op students between January-April 2016.

   2016-07-25

SFU’s Certificate Program for Community Economic Development

  Providing students the tools to build sustainable local economies. Delivered part-time, over eight weeks, the program gets people active in their communities, offering a unique opportunity to grow professional networks.

   2016-09-01

Solutions Finance Series, Issue #1: Beyond Impact Investing, Towards Solutions Finance

  The Foundation is embracing solutions finance after a decade of supporting the development of social finance and the impact investing marketplace in Canada, learning from various successes and failures in managing impact investments.

report   2016-05-16

DISCUSSION PAPER: Canadian Universities and Colleges supporting entrepreneurship and Indigenous communities

  The purpose of this discussion paper is to provide an understanding of opportunities for post-secondary institutions across Canada at the intersection of entrepreneurship and Indigenous communities.

   2016-11-01

Webinar: In conversation with Dechinta

  Webinar with Erin Freeland Ballantyne, Executive Director of the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning—a northern-led initiative delivering land-based, University of Alberta-credited educational experiences led by northern leaders, experts, elders and professors.

video   2016-11-02

RECODE WEBINAR: Constructive Engagement

  RECODE Webinar on Constructive Engagement, with Innoweave’s Ryan Conway.

video   2016-10-20

RECODE Webinar: Advocacy and the Academy

  Webinar discussion with the Advocacy School’s Sean Moore. Sean shars some of the benefits of advocating for a field, the challenges of doing so, and shares some examples of effective advocacy in the Canadian context.

video   2016-10-12

LabWISE Evaluation Report

This report describes the findings, conclusions and recommendations of an evaluation of the LabWISE program. This initiative, which ran from mid-2016 to late 2017, aimed to strengthen the capacity of social innovators to employ a Social Innovation Lab approach to address tough problems in their communities.

report   2017-12-20

Country Brief: Social enterprise and higher education in Canada

This study examines the benefits and challenges of partnership between higher education institutions and social enterprises in Canada. It is one of 12 country – and territory – level studies that informed the report “Social enterprise in a global context: the role of higher education institutions”.

   2016-08-01

The Global Challenge Information Session

Information session to learn more about running the Global Challenge at your school. We’ll be joined by the Skoll Centre to answer questions and guide you through the process.

video   2016-10-05

RECODE Webinar: Writing for the Web

A webinar with freelance writer Dave Lank to learn strategies for effective online writing.

video   2016-12-14

Insights & Observations at the Intersection of Higher Education, Indigenous Communities & Local Economic Development

Report on our pre-Indigenous Innovation Summit dialogue on supporting Indigenous social entrepreneurship, which includes discussion notes, insights, observations, & suggestions for next steps.

report   2016-12-14

Field Notes

Field Notes is a visual reflection of the learnings from schools and partners, and a glimpse into a much larger story of what’s happening on campuses across Canada.

link   2017-08-29

Webinar with Vancouver’s LEDlab: Leveraging Mitacs Partnerships for Social Change

Webinar with the Local Economic Development Lab‘s (LEDlab) Program Manager Kiri Bird, where she’ll share the details of their Mitacs partnership and funding model.

video   2017-05-17

Le Chantier de l’économie sociale Trust

Providing loans with a 15-year capital repayment moratorium. This quasi-patient capital is designed to support enterprises’ operations and contribute to their real estate

link   

Building Social Infrastructure Retreat Report

This report recaps a July 2017 that brought together representatives from multiple postsecondary institutions and supporting organizations from higher education across Canada.

rapport   2017-08-29

Maximizing the Capacities of Advanced Education Institutions to Build Social Infrastructure for Canadian Communities

In our new discussion paper we explore how higher education institutions can harness and leverage their assets (financial, physical, relational, research and education) to build social infrastructure that will positively impact communities and advance societal well-being.

report   2017-05-25