Professor with extensive experience in social innovation, the social economy and public governance
2026 Academic Fellow, July – December
Professor Jo Barraket AM is Australia’s premier scholar of social enterprise and leading scholar of social innovation and social economy. Her work focuses on how social equity is improved through new ways of organising, resourcing and scaling social change, and the relationship between state and civil society organisations in policy processes.
She is a trusted adviser to governments, philanthropy and industry, and has served as a national expert adviser to the OECD on public policy and the social economy.
Fellowship focus
Relational Public Management and the Social Economy
Professor Barraket’s Fellowship focuses on strengthening relational approaches to public management and collaboration across government and the social economy. The Fellowship explores how public institutions can work more effectively with non-government actors to address complex policy challenges and support public value creation.
Areas of expertise
Social innovation and social enterprise, including the role of policy in supporting social impact
Public governance and public management, with a focus on relational and collaborative approaches
The social economy, including partnerships between government and civil society organisations
Social procurement and impact measurement, supporting equity and public value outcomes
Publications & Awards
Jo conducts research that generates high quality research publications, as well as outputs such as interactive online tools, policy and practice guides which support the uptake and use of research knowledge. She is passionate about community-engaged and co-productive research in support of a fairer world.
In 2025, Jo was elected to the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and the US-based Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship. In 2023, she was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contributions to education and to developing social enterprise.
Connect
To connect or enquire about engaging with this Fellow, please get in touch with us.