In Social Entrepreneurship, students learn about social business that aims to solve social problems in an independent and sustainable way. The course explores the differences between Yunus Social Business and social business in a broader sense as understood in Japan, and the similarities it shares with traditional Japanese management philosophies, with a focus on the theories developed by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the pioneer of social business, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and the founder of Grameen Bank. The course also considers some case studies from Japan and abroad.

The course is delivered in a workshop format to enable the students to acquire the skills required to develop business ideas that address specific social problems.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to global problems and the social entrepreneurship models aiming to solve those problems. The course consists of classroom lectures on theories for identifying social issues with a focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and a one-week field study in an emerging economy (Thailand) designed to enable students to develop social entrepreneurship perspectives essential for implementing the SDGs.

During the field study, the students learn to investigate the causes of social problems and to explore and implement locally tailored strategies. In the course’s final session, they present their solution proposals devised based on the Yunus Social Business philosophy in front of the Kyushu University faculty and experts of related fields.