Students hone social innovation skills, create solutions to municipal challenges as part of Laurier and City of Waterloo partnership

May 23, 2024

An innovative Wilfrid Laurier University course is providing students the chance to create solutions to municipal challenges in the City of Waterloo.

Social Innovation in the City immerses students in hands-on opportunities to conduct research, design and test initiatives and policy innovations to find solutions to municipal challenges identified by the city.

Offered by Laurier’s Department of Global Studies, the course combines academic content with access to an advisory group made up of experts from the City of Waterloo, community organizations and faculty from across Laurier’s academic disciplines. Guest speakers join the class to discuss developing effective online surveys; municipal, regional, provincial and federal policymaking; participatory and inclusive community engagement and advocacy and activism.

“This is an important and enjoyable partnership for the City of Waterloo,” says Michelle Lee, executive officer to the CAO with the City of Waterloo and course liaison. “Laurier students continually offer innovative and realistic takeaways for us to work with. We are grateful for the insight they provide into municipal issues.”

During the 2023-24 offering of Social Innovation in the City, the City of Waterloo tasked students with three real-time challenges: how to reduce vehicle congestion in school drop-off zones, how to improve civic engagement among Waterloo youth, and creating policy recommendations to manage short-term housing rentals in the city.

The students presented their solutions at city hall in early April to an audience that included City of Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe, Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy, MP Mike Morrice, city councillors, city staff, Laurier staff and faculty, and students.

“It is inspiring to see Laurier students from various disciplines apply the theories they engage with throughout the course to create practicable solutions to current challenges in Waterloo,” says Laurier Assistant Professor Ehaab Abdou, who led the 2023-24 course offering. “It is also wonderful to witness the confidence, professionalism and future-ready skills they develop throughout the entire course experience.”

Students in previous offerings of Social Innovation in the City have examined topics such as end-of-term bulk waste in the university district, equity in municipal procurement, affordable housing, civic engagement among local youth, and the environmental impacts of local festivals.

Social Innovation in the City is a full-credit course that counts towards Laurier’s Social Entrepreneurship option and is open to students in all faculties. The course is among several undergraduate course offerings available to Laurier students passionate about making positive change with real impact in local, national and global communities.

Laurier is a designated Changemaker Campus by Ashoka U, a prestigious status awarded to universities that place a strong focus on social innovation and offer opportunities for students to develop the skills and mindset needed to address complex social challenges.