Introduction to Systems Thinking for Sustainability & SiD
What you'll learn
- Explore basic principles of systems thinking and network theory applied to sustainability
- Understand the main concepts underlying sustainability and its relevance in today’s world
- Recognize systemic behaviors in society and how they relate to key sustainability concepts
- Perform quick impact scans across different dimensions of sustainability, enlarging your scope of impact
- Learn about issues of sustainability and Symbiosis in Development (SiD)
Requirements
- An interest in systems thinking and achieving systemic sustainability
- A desire to see the world differently and recognize opportunities for holistic improvements
- The motivation to make positive impacts, rather than only to reduce the negative
Description
Building a sustainable society is our greatest challenge yet often misunderstood.
Yes, a sustainable future requires new infrastructure and smart technologies, but we must also address the deep-rooted causes in our economic, environmental, and political systems. All are intertwined, and it can become overwhelming.
This course helps develop deep insight into systems dynamics, network effects, and the vital concept of resilience. You'll learn to recognize relationships, patterns, and where and how to intervene in a system to realize holistic and long-term improvements.
"Introduction to Systems Thinking for Sustainability & SiD" introduces Symbiosis in Development (SiD), an integrated systems thinking framework that combines theory and practice. By adopting a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach, SiD will enhance your understanding of impact scans and mapping tools and how to use them best to develop practical, sustainable solutions to address the root causes of many issues.
Given in various forms since 2010, most graduates of this course find themselves re-framing the way they see the world and define success, with many making positive changes in their personal and professional lives.
Learn from the experts in Symbiosis in Development (SiD) and sustainability:
Tom Bosschaert guides the course. He is the author of SiD, the founder and director Except Integrated Sustainability, a global consultancy and design firm that has been developing pioneering strategies and solutions for the past 20 years. Clients have included the likes of IKEA, Heineken, and real estate projects from San Francisco to Shanghai.
Mattia Miccichè is a dynamic systems thinker and SiD facilitator who will guide your course and provide additional context. Mattia is curious and driven by discovering the core dynamics of societal transformation. With a background in environmental policy and organizational theory, he shares Except's systems-based approach and desire for co-creation.
Who this course is for:
- Learners driven by a desire to understand the world in more systemic ways
- Individuals who wish to enhance widespread social and environmental sustainability
- Professionals who wish to upskill and enhance their career opportunities
- People working across a range of sectors and industries such as policy, design, research, engineering, business, education, management, and more
Instructor
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 52 Reviews
- 194 Students
- 1 Course
Learn how to better assess systems, develop interventions, leadership capacities, and help to build a resilient and sustainable society.
Tom Bosschaert teaches you the power of systemic integrated sustainability.
Tom is a renowned sustainability-focused entrepreneur, architect, author, and advisor. He is the director and founder of Except Integrated Sustainability, a consultancy and design firm established in 1999.
He developed the Symbiosis in Development (SiD) systems thinking framework and helped forge the field of systemic sustainability around the world.
With SiD, Tom leads a multi-disciplinary team of engineers, architects, scientists, urban planners, and designers to develop pioneering sustainability solutions that breach the frontier of what's possible.
Over the last 20+ years, he has helped develop several hundred projects globally, including groundbreaking solutions for pioneering organizations like IKEA and Heineken, and led development projects from San Francisco to Shanghai. Projects incorporate aspects of circular economy,
natural capital, innovative urban redevelopment (including energy and water management), innovative and regenerative food production, and resilience research and development.
His vision shows that we can flourish globally when we simultaneously integrate our society's environmental, societal, economic, and technical aspects.
A frequent keynote speaker, Tom completed a Master of Industrial Design Engineering at Delft, the Netherlands, studied Architecture at the University of Western Australia, and obtained a Master's degree in Architecture & Urban Planning at Yale University.