The RIP programme

“Developing models, methodologies and capabilities for social innovation through digital inclusion in disadvantaged communities”

The programme is a three-year international collaborative programme between UWC

(Department of Information Systems and the CoLab for e-Inclusion and Social Innovation)

and two Belgian universities (the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Ghent University).

This programme, also called “the RIP programme” (“Research Initiative Programme”), is

funded by VLIR-UOS, the international university collaboration programme of the Flemish

Interuniversity Council (VLIR). The RIP programme is a follow-up on a ten-year programme

of collaboration between UWC and various Flemish universities.

The programme engages with key issues relating to digital interventions in communities: the

models and methodologies to be used to ensure full and active participation of the

community; and developing the capabilities of a corps of experts that are able to handle these

approaches and methodologies (including monitoring and evaluation (M&E)). The ultimate

objective is to enable communities to invent local solutions to challenges they experience, by

using the technology that is available.

The programme provides funding for master’s and PhD students, amongst others to spend

part of their research time at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, as well as for joint workshops and

exchange visits by colleagues from the partner institutions.