MOU Signing between Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, and World’s Leading Organization in Social Development, Yunus Centre, headed by Nobel Laureate, to Create “Power of Change” toward Sustainable Society 

Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, signed an MOU with Yunus Centre, the world’s leading organization in social development. This MOU aims to pave the way for further collaboration and foster the “power of change” to drive Thai society toward a sustainable future. This collaboration will focus on combining the knowledge, experience, and resources of both organizations in projects and activities.  

The MOU signing ceremony took place on June 27, 2024, at the 14th Social Business Day 2024, held at SMX Aura Convention Center, Manila, the Philippines. The MOU was signed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Unruan Leknoi, Director of Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, and Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Yunus Centre.  

            Assoc. Prof. Dr. Unruan Leknoi, Director of the Social Research Institute, said that the Social Research Institute is committed to driving social innovation for the benefit of society at large, for which finding partners with shared vision and goals is crucial to success. The concept of “social business,” driven by Prof. Muhammad Yunus and Yunus Centre, aligns closely with the goals and mission of the Social Research Institute. This MOU signing is therefore a joining of forces to create effective social innovations that can sustainably benefit all sectors of society. 

This collaboration not only expands networks and capabilities in creating innovations but also strengthens the potential and robustness of driving social innovation in Thailand and at the international level. Joining forces with the Yunus Centre will lead to great success and create long-term positive impacts on society.  

Yunus Center, founded by Prof. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is an organization that plays a crucial role in promoting “social business,” with a mission to fight poverty and social inequality. The Centre also aims to research and develop innovations that can solve social, economic, and environmental problems, create social opportunities, and serve as a source of knowledge and education. The goal is to enhance the capacity of individuals and organizations in creating socially conscious businesses, both at local and international levels. 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Unruan added that collaboration between Chulalongkorn’s Social Research Institute and Yunus Centre will be highly valuable to the transformation of Thai society toward a sustainable future in many aspects:    

• Promoting social innovation: Since Prof. Yunus is a pioneer in social business, a business model that aims to solve social problems by using business mechanisms to create positive change, applying this concept to Thai society will help promote social innovation that can address poverty, inequality, and others effectively and sustainably.
• Creating business opportunities: The focus is especially on creating new businesses with goals to develop communities and society, such as supporting small businesses and new entrepreneurs who focus on generating jobs and increasing income for people in the community. 
• Developing knowledge and skills: Since Prof. Yunus and Yunus Centre have in-depth experience and knowledge in creating social businesses and solving social problems through innovation, the transfer of knowledge and training from these experts will help enhance the skills and knowledge of local people in Thailand. This will enable them to create businesses and projects that have a positive impact on society. 
• Building networks with world-class organizations: Doing so will help foster networking between Thailand and the international community, increasing opportunities for exchanges of knowledge, experiences, and resources, thereby strengthening social development in Thailand in the long run.  
• Promoting sustainability: Prof. Yunus’s concepts and operations focus on sustainable development, which aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Implementing these concepts in Thailand will help create a society that is sustainable in economic, social, and environmental aspects. 

This collaboration not only enhances the potential for Thai social and economic development but also lays the foundation for a truly sustainable and prosperous future. There will be several important collaborative projects, one of which is the establishment of a “Social Business Center” at the Social Research Institute of Chulalongkorn University. This center aims to organize activities dedicated to driving sustainability in Thai society under the “3 zero” concept (zero poverty, zero carbon emission, zero unemployment), focusing on 4 key projects, which are: 

• Social Business Development Projects focusing on local communities to create jobs and increase income for the community. 
• Training and Capacity Building Programs emphasizing training and workshops for entrepreneurs, students, and personnel in the field of social innovation and social business. 
• Research and Innovation Projects conducting research and innovation that can be implemented to solve social and environmental problems in Thailand, including studying best practices from around the world 
• Networking and Knowledge Exchange Initiatives between domestic and international organizations to exchange knowledge and experience in sustainable social development  

“These projects will be a significant step in strengthening and sustaining Thai society, through collaboration with shared vision and goals in creating social innovations that have a sustainable positive impact,” concluded Assoc. Prof. Dr. Unruan, Director of Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University.  

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