Susan Ursel's Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation through Waterloo University

Earlier this summer, Susan Ursel successfully completed the requirements for the Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation through Waterloo University’s inaugural 2011-2012 program. As part of the course requirements, and together with her colleagues in the program, Susan developed a critically applauded project entitled “The Centre for Collective Impact”, which seeks to create, build and sustain fruitful relationships between the non-profit and social finance sectors. The Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation, a partnership between leading academics at the University of Waterloo, expert practitioners from across the country, and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, in collaboration with Schulich School of Business, York University, intentionally engages professionals from different sectors to learn about the concepts and theories that frame ideas related to social innovation and collaborate to apply new ideas to design strategies that address the challenges facing us today. Headed by acclaimed author and academic Professor Frances Westley, the Diploma program is another aspect of Professor Westley’s work in leading social innovation in Canada and internationally.