Cambridge Global Social
Entrepreneurship Competition
Background & Rationale
In the contemporary global context, human society is confronted with a series of highly complex and intertwined public issues, ranging from educational equity and public health to sustainable development, social inclusion, and urban and community governance. Such challenges often defy resolution through a single market mechanism or policy instrument; instead, they necessitate the integration of multidisciplinary perspectives—encompassing economics, social sciences, public policy, and organizational innovation—to explore pathways that harmonize public missions with innovative mechanisms.
The University of Cambridge has long cultivated a profound academic tradition in fields such as social innovation, public policy, development economics, and sustainable development, consistently advocating for the bridge between rigorous academic research and real-world challenges. Against this academic backdrop, this innovation competition has been established, aiming to provide young scholars with a platform for innovation challenges that is grounded in academic analysis and oriented toward global public issues.
Positioning & Philosophy
The Cambridge University Social Enterprise Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition is not a commercial startup incubator; rather, it is a pedagogical innovation challenge centered on academic training and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The primary objective is to train participants in bridging the gap between abstract theory, policy discourse, and real-world challenges. Starting from a deep "understanding of the problem," participants will gradually develop logically self-consistent and practically feasible innovative solutions.
Problem-Starting Point
Rooted in global public issues.
Methodological Foundation
Built upon rigorous academic analysis and empirical evidence.
Evaluative Dimensions
Focused on social impact and institutional design.
Intellectual Approach
Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and structured thinking.
Structure &
Academic Design
The competition adopts a multi-stage, academic-led design, emphasizing process-oriented learning and iterative feedback.
In the initial stage, guided by Cambridge academic experts, participants will conduct problem framing and background analysis surrounding specific global social issues. Content includes:
Academic contexts of global or regional social challenges.
Introduction to relevant theoretical perspectives and research methodologies.
Analysis of real-world cases and policy practices. The focus of this stage is to help participants comprehend the complexity of the issues and establish a clear, researchable "problem awareness."
Participants will work in groups to conduct in-depth research and solution design, encompassing:
Problem definition and root-cause analysis.
Identification of key stakeholders.
Design of intervention mechanisms and organizational forms.
Assessment of potential social impact and sustainability. This phase emphasizes an evidence-based analytical approach, encouraging participants to propose structured and logically rigorous solutions within an academic framework.
The competition culminates in a structured academic presentation. Participants will articulate their research logic and proposed solutions, receiving professional commentary and feedback from an academic jury.
Note: This session is not a commercial pitch or investment roadshow. It is a formal academic reporting and discussion session centered on logical coherence, problem-solution fit, and social impact potential.
A systemic understanding of global social issues.
The ability to translate academic analysis into structured solutions.
Experience in high-level teamwork and interdisciplinary communication.
The experience of presenting project outcomes validated by an academic jury. The project results and participation experience serve as significant academic background for participants' future scholarly development, Statements of Purpose (SOP), and applications to prestigious overseas institutions.
Let’s get in touch.
The CGEC Competition Organizing Committee is responsible for this email address.
Initiating Organization
Organizing Committee of the Cambridge Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition
Event Hosting