Study entrepreneurship and social innovation through immersive, ethically grounded programs that explore enterprise, innovation, and social change in diverse global contexts across Africa and Southeast Asia.
GEI’s Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation track is offered through a small number of structured program formats, each available in multiple destinations. Choose the format that fits your goals, then explore where you can study.
GLOBAL FIELD ENGAGEMENT
An intensive introduction to entrepreneurship and social innovation focused on how enterprises respond to social, economic, and environmental challenges. Students learn through site visits, guest speakers, and applied case-based learning.
GLOBAL PRACTICUM
A focused, applied program for students seeking deeper engagement with innovation ecosystems and enterprise development. The practicum emphasizes problem framing, ethical entrepreneurship, and learning alongside local founders and organizations.
SUMMER
A combined academic experience integrating short-term field engagement and practicum-style learning. Designed for students seeking sustained immersion in entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact themes.
SEMESTER
A full-semester program offering in-depth academic study and experiential learning focused on enterprise development, innovation systems, and socially oriented business models in global contexts.
INTERNSHIPS
Customized internship placements aligned with entrepreneurship and innovation interests, designed in collaboration with social enterprises, startups, NGOs, and innovation hubs.
GEI’s Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation track examines how individuals and organizations create, adapt, and scale solutions to social and economic challenges. Programs emphasize understanding entrepreneurship as a context-driven process shaped by local markets, institutions, and community needs.
Learning takes place through ethically grounded engagement with entrepreneurs, social enterprises, and innovation ecosystems. Students are encouraged to critically examine impact narratives, business models, and the responsibilities of innovators working across cultures.
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Regional expertise: Long-standing presence and partnerships across Africa and Southeast Asia.
- Ethical & reciprocal engagement: Programs emphasize collaboration, humility, and respect for local leadership and knowledge.
- Experiential, field-based learning: Academic content is integrated with site visits, applied projects, and guided reflection.
- Academic rigor & credit support: Credit-bearing programs supported by GEI’s U.S.-based school of record.
- Social entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems
- Enterprise development in emerging markets
Inclusive and ethical business models
- Design thinking and problem framing
- Scaling impact and sustainability trade-offs
- Power, responsibility, and ethics in innovation
Global Health programs are offered in multiple countries, each providing a distinct learning context shaped by local health systems, policies, and community priorities.
- Ghana: Social enterprises and innovation initiatives in West African contexts
- Kenya: Startup ecosystems, NGOs, and community-based enterprises
- Rwanda: Social enterprise development and innovation in emerging markets
- South Africa: Innovation shaped by inequality, policy, and urban markets
- Thailand: Small enterprises, social innovation, and regional value chains
- Vietnam: Entrepreneurship in rapidly growing and transforming economies
The Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation track is well-suited for students interested in business, social entrepreneurship, international development, public policy, or innovation-related fields. Many participants use these programs to build entrepreneurial mindsets, explore ethical business practice, and better understand how innovation operates across contexts.
