Social Innovation Forum 2025
Join us for the third Social Innovation Forum 2025, taking place on 1–2 October 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.
This year’s Forum will explore the theme: “How to build resilient societies across the EU through social innovation. Towards a Stronger Europe: Investing in People and Empowering Citizens for Social Change through the ESF+.”
In a time of profound economic, social, and environmental transitions, the Forum will examine how social innovation can strengthen resilience, empower communities, and drive sustainable change. It will highlight how fostering innovation in skills development, employment, and social inclusion contributes to boosting Europe’s competitiveness and building a stronger, fairer future.
Participants from the five ESF+ Communities of Practice and the ALMA Network will come together for plenary sessions, workshops, and showcases highlighting promising social innovation practices across the EU.
Together, we will shape solutions that invest in people, empower citizens, and make Europe more resilient and competitive for generations to come.
| Time (CET) | Topic and speaker |
|---|---|
| 09:00 - 09:45 |
Welcome Coffee and Registration
|
| 09:45 - 10:05 |
Welcome Remarks
European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion,
representative
European Competence Centre for Social Innovation,
representative
|
| 10:05 - 10:15 |
Overview of the Day 1
|
| 10:15 - 10:45 |
Keynote: The Future of the European Welfare State (TBC)
Robin Maialeh,
Chair of the Board, RILSA I Associate Professor of Economics
|
| 10:45 - 11:45 |
Panel Discussion
|
| 11:45 - 12:30 |
Coffee Break
|
| 12:30 - 13:00 |
Keynote: A Government Official’s Perspective on the Challenges of Scaling, and why it Sometimes Doesn’t Work
Bairbre Nic Aongusa,
Assistant Secretary, Community Development, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Ireland
|
| 13:00 - 14:30 |
Lunch
|
| 14:30 - 15:30 |
Workshops – Part 1
CoP on Social Innovation: Social Innovation for System-Level Change
CoP on Social Inclusion: Strengthening Competitiveness Through Effective Social Inclusion CoP on Migrant Integration: Increasing Adaptability in Migrant Integration: Rethinking Resilience in European Societies Through a Multi-Level Approach CoP on Employment, Education and Skills: Understanding Long-Term Change in Skills Demand and How It May Reshape Our Training Systems CoP on Material Support: Building Resilient Material Support Systems ALMA Network: Evaluation Featuring Key Findings and Practical Examples From ALMA Network Members on Measuring Soft Outcomes, and Successful Approaches to Impact Evaluation for NEETs From Outside the ALMA Network |
| 15:30 - 16:00 |
Coffee Break
|
| 16:00 - 17:00 |
Workshops – Part 2
|
| 18:00 - 20:00 |
Dinner
|
| Time (CET) | Topic and speaker |
|---|---|
| 08:45 - 09:15 |
Welcome Coffee and Registration
|
| 09:15 - 09:25 |
Overview of the Day 2
|
| 09:25 - 09:45 |
Presentation: Achievements & Future Plans of the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation
|
| 09:45 - 10:45 |
Social Innovation Presentations
Five projects from the Social Innovation Market 2025 will present their ideas on stage. Each project offers a unique approach to addressing challenges in employment, education, skills, or social inclusion.
|
| 10:45 - 11:30 |
Coffee Break
|
| 11:30 - 12:30 |
Panel Discussion & Q&A with Social Innovation Representatives
|
| 12:30 - 15:00 |
Social Innovation Market
Visit the Social Innovation Market to explore 15 projects from across Europe tackling social challenges in employment, education, skills, and inclusion. Meet the innovators and learn more about their solutions.
|
| 13:30 - 15:00 |
Lunch
|
| 15:00 - 16:30 |
Panel: Learning from Day 1 Workshops and Upcoming Activities of the CoPs and ALMA Network
|
| 16:30 - 17:00 |
Closing Remarks
|
| 18:00 - 20:00 |
Dinner
|