Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is this week (June 22 to 25 ) welcoming students from around the world as it hosts the 5th EMES PhD Summer School on Social Entrepreneurship, Social Economy and Solidarity Economy.

The event is being hosted by Cam Donaldson, Yunus Chair in Social Business and Health at GCU, and Martha Nyssens the President of the EMES International Research Network.

During the first session, Yvonne Strachan, Head of Equality, Human Rights and the Third Sector at the Scottish Government, told the assembled students that Scotland was the best place in the world to do social enterprise.

She said: “. Social Enterprise is essential to the work of the Scottish Government. Devolution presaged a number of things that saw a rise in the social economy. Civic society has been part of the charge towards shaping the future of Scotland, not just delivering services.”

Elizabeth McKenna, GSEN Network Manager at Glasgow Social Enterprise Network and Eileen Cumming, Head of Service at the Kibble Education and Care Centre also addressed students.

Ms McKenna suggested that “if Scotland is the best place in the world at enabling social enterprise, then Glasgow is the best in Scotland.”

She added:  “Procurement of services is both an opportunity and a challenge for social enterprises. Sometimes the businesses in our network simply cannot afford to bid for some of the services that are on offer. However we are seeing an increase in our enterprises collaborating for contracts together.”