Social Finance Lab

The Social Finance Lab - Jesuit University Exchange is a collaborative platform that brings together Jesuit university students, academics, and alums from around the world to drive social change through innovative financial models. We believe that social finance can be a powerful tool to advance Laudato si', the second encyclical of Pope Francis which critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take "swift and unified global action.". Through the Social Finance Lab - Jesuit University Exchange, we aim to harness the expertise and network of Jesuit institutions to create a positive impact on communities globally.

Our Mission:

Our mission is to foster knowledge exchange, research collaboration, and educational initiatives in the field of social finance within the Jesuit university network. We strive to empower individuals and organizations with the necessary tools, resources, and connections to address social and environmental challenges through innovative financing solutions.

Values:
The Social Finance Lab aims to provide a platform for students, academics, and alumni in Jesuit universities to live out Cura Personalis, discernment, finding God in all things, Magis, reflection, service rooted in justice and love, and solidarity and kinship. Through the Social Finance Lab - Jesuit University Exchange, students, academics, and alumni will share their talents and skills to help and serve others.

What We Offer:

• Jesuit University Hub Program:

  • The Social Finance Lab partners with Jesuit universities to establish action-research hubs within their institutions. These hubs serve as focal points for research, education, and community engagement in social finance.

  • Participating universities gain access to a global network of like-minded institutions, research support, educational resources, and increased visibility within the field of social finance.

• Action-Research Fellowships:

  • We organize Fellowship Programs that align student and faculty projects with real-world social finance initiatives. 

  • The Fellowships allow individuals to advance the theory and practice of social finance in the different cultural and institutional environments in countries all over. 

• Research and Knowledge Exchange:

  • We facilitate collaborative research projects among Jesuit universities, connecting faculty and researchers with shared interests in social finance.

  • Our platform provides access to a wealth of research findings, case studies, and best practices in social finance, fostering knowledge exchange and enhancing the quality and impact of research endeavors.

• Educational Resources:

  • We offer a comprehensive range of educational resources, including curricula, teaching materials, and case studies, designed to support the integration of social finance into academic programs.

  • Faculty members can access our resources to enhance existing courses or develop new programs that equip students with the knowledge and skills to drive social impact through finance.

• Networking and Collaboration:

  • Our platform facilitates networking and collaboration among students, faculty, researchers, and practitioners interested in social finance.

  • We organize conferences, webinars, and workshops where participants can share insights, build partnerships, and explore innovative approaches to finance for social good.

• Advocacy and Policy Influence:

  • We aim to contribute to the development of policies and frameworks that promote social finance as a viable and impactful solution for sustainable development.

  • Through research, thought leadership, and advocacy initiatives, we seek to influence decision-makers and create an enabling environment for social finance innovation.

Join Us:

Are you a student, instructor, administrator, or alum, of a Jesuit university interested in driving social change through innovative financial models? Contact us to learn more about becoming a partner university and establishing a Social Finance Lab hub on your campus.

Transnational Student Project Learning

With over 200 higher education institutions educating more than 1 million students in 50 countries, the Jesuit Higher Ed ministry network has immense potential as a global platform for accelerating social impact investing.

 By reinforcing the priority issues of Jesuit higher education, namely: 1)civic and political leadership formation; 2) formation of Ignatian leadership; 3) education for those at the margins; 4) economic and environmental justice; 5) inter-religious dialogue/secularism, and; 6) peace and reconciliation advocacy, the Social Finance Lab aims to expose students to real-world problem-solving through social finance projects.  

https://www.jesuits.global/ministries/higher-education/