Interdisciplinary Social Innovation Course
The Interdisciplinary Social Innovation Course Association
The Interdisciplinary Social Innovation Course Association (ISIC) brings together universities and educators that are committed to educational innovation and transformative talent development. The Alliance seeks to help students shift from a learning model centred on knowledge acquisition and examinations toward one focused on solving authentic societal challenges.
By collaboratively developing and implementing interdisciplinary social innovation courses across universities, ISIC aims to build a comprehensive curriculum that enhances students’ capacity for social innovation and prepares future change-makers. Through the implementation and dissemination of a shared course model across diverse higher education institutions, the Alliance explores a new pathway for cultivating social innovation talent in Chinese higher education.
To date, the Association has brought together 182 courses from 82 universities, spanning a wide range of disciplines, including: Business; Information Technology; Humanities and Arts; Medicine and Health Sciences; Engineering and Technology; Sustainable Development; Transportation; Sociology; Law
Together, these programmes form a broad, diverse, and forward-looking network for educational innovation. Participating institutions include China’s leading Double First-Class Universities, such as Zhengzhou University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Dalian University of Technology, and Yanbian University, as well as application-oriented universities and vocational colleges including Zhejiang Industry Polytechnic College, Jinzhong University of Information, and Xi’an Eurasia University. This diversity reflects the Association’s commitment to promoting educational equity and resource sharing across different types of institutions.
Student Project Exhibition and Competition
As the Association’s flagship annual event, the Student Project Exhibition and Competition serves both as a platform for demonstrating learning outcomes and as a mechanism for motivating student development.
The event showcases student project videos that document authentic learning experiences throughout the project journey, including problem identification, research, collaboration, iterative development, and project outcomes.
During the final competition, student teams present their projects through live pitches, systematically sharing their project development process, achievements, and personal growth. Participants reflect on how the experience has transformed their understanding of learning while demonstrating tangible improvements in interdisciplinary thinking, problem-solving ability, and social responsibility.
Outstanding teams and individuals are recognised through a rigorous evaluation process, fostering an educational ecosystem where competition promotes learning and teaching excellence.
For more information about the Student Project, please visit the ISIC webpage: https://premium.learningmall.cn/upage/ISIC
Governing Board of the Interdisciplinary Social Innovation Course Association
The inaugural ISIC Governing Board brings together 53 education professionals from 27 universities across China, forming a collaborative leadership body united by a shared vision, collective responsibility, and coordinated action.
Working through four specialised committees, the Board provides strategic guidance for the Association’s future development, fostering collaboration and shaping clear priorities across student development, curriculum innovation, competition management, and long-term strategic planning.
The establishment of the Governing Board marks an important milestone in the Association’s development. More than strengthening its governance structure, it demonstrates the Association’s long-term commitment to advancing interdisciplinary social innovation education, responding to the evolving needs of higher education, and creating meaningful opportunities for both student success and faculty development.
For more information about the Association, please visit the ISIC webpage: https://premium.learningmall.cn/upage/ISIC
Ongoing Project Incubation Support
To help outstanding projects progress from innovative concepts to market-ready solutions, the Association provides a comprehensive project incubation support system that enhances both their feasibility and practical impact.
Promising projects may gain access to the Innovation Factory at the XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang), where they can benefit from professional laboratories, rapid prototyping facilities, technical innovation guidance, and other entrepreneurial resources.
Incubation Support Includes
1. Fast-Track Competition Entry
Outstanding projects are eligible for direct entry into the semifinal round of the Global Dream Chasers Competition, bypassing the preliminary selection process. This enables students to devote more time to refining and optimising their projects.
2. Summer Entrepreneurship Camp
Participants receive exclusive access to the online incubation platform and one-to-one mentoring from leading industry experts. They also have the opportunity to join site visits to enterprises and government organisations at the Taicang campus, gaining valuable practical insights while accelerating project development and avoiding common entrepreneurial pitfalls.
3. Project Team Recruitment
Project teams receive long-term support in recruiting interested students from both within and beyond the university, promoting cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration while encouraging broader student engagement.
4. Competition Networking Programme
Students are encouraged to form diverse competition teams with peers from different disciplines, universities, and countries. Eligible teams may also receive dedicated competition funding and government support.
5. Alumni Mentorship Programme
In partnership with student organisations, the Alliance invites former project team members, competition award winners, entrepreneurial alumni, and investors to serve as project mentors. Each mentor provides guidance to up to ten students.
Priority Recommendation Opportunities
The Learning Institute for Future Excellence has established a strategic partnership with the Shanghai Yiyou Youth Service Centre to provide outstanding student projects with priority access to a range of entrepreneurial and innovation opportunities.
- Annual Entrepreneurship Competitions and Incubation Programmes
Outstanding projects receive priority recommendations to participate in partner initiatives, including the Future Impact Innovation Conference, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), and the AI for Good Joint Incubation Programme.
- Annual Offline Accelerator Programmes
Participants are given priority nomination for two accelerator programmes held each year: the Summer Accelerator (Shanghai) and the Winter Accelerator (Shenzhen).
- Entrepreneurship Support Programmes
Outstanding teams are prioritised for the University Student Entrepreneur Scholarship Programme and the Next Generation Entrepreneurship Incubation Programme.
- International Social Innovation Study Opportunities
Outstanding participants receive priority nomination for the International Social Innovation Study Tour, providing opportunities to engage with global leaders and best practices in social innovation.
Contact Us
For more information about the Interdisciplinary Social Innovation Course Association (ISIC) or if you have any questions, please contact
Yinyin Lu, Student Programme Officer, at yinyin.lu@xjtlu.edu.cn.
You are also welcome to follow the Learning Institute for Future Excellence (LIFE) official WeChat account for the latest news, updates, and programme information.
In today’s increasingly complex world, humanity faces challenges that can no longer be addressed through the knowledge of a single discipline alone. To break down disciplinary boundaries, enhance students’ ability to solve complex real-world problems, and cultivate innovation and social responsibility, the Learning Institute for Future Excellence (LIFE) has developed the Interdisciplinary Social Innovation Education Model.
This educational approach encourages students to begin with authentic real-world challenges, investigate genuine social issues, apply innovative thinking, and develop practical solutions through interdisciplinary teamwork.