Systems Thinking Summit for Social Change in Alberta, Canada this Summer
Posted April 15, 2024 - by Linh Bui
Systems thinking, a framework for seeing connections and interrelationships rather than just things, and for seeing patterns rather than isolated events (p. 20), is one of the 21st-century critical skills to tackle contemporary issues and drive social change. It contrasted with the traditional analysis method, which is centered around breaking systems down into their separate elements.
In this 8th annual call of Map the System, there is the highest number of 774 student participants, making it clear that there is a need for understanding systems thinking and its application to different disciplines. Therefore, the First-ever Systems Thinking Summit is happening this summer in Banff, Canada
About the Banff Systems Summit
The inaugural Banff Systems Summit, happening this summer from May 27 to May 29 at the Banff Centre, right after the Map the System Canada Final, provides a great professional development opportunity to learn the systems thinking-driven approach to social innovation and sustainability tackling global challenges from 20+ professionals and industry leaders.
The activities involve plenary speeches and conversations, themed panel sessions, and interactive workshops on topics such as systems thinking in practice, career implications, healthcare, education, food, social entrepreneurship, finance, policy change, and more. In addition, there are land-based walkabouts, culturally-informed feasting, and semi-structured networking activities.
Background
We face increasing and overlapping challenges in various areas such as housing, health care, food security, political polarization, transitioning to a lower carbon economy, creating shared prosperity, decolonization, racial justice, new patterns of global conflict, along with adaptations to virtually every career and area of life with advanced technologies. Some have described this new era as one of “polycrisis” or “permacrisis.” In the face of this, emerging leaders are asking tough questions and seeking innovative solutions, which requires a systems-led way of thinking and mode of practice.
At the Summit, systems leaders bring together different perspectives and approaches to devise sustainable, workable, effective solutions in various fields, including health, energy, conservation, design, education, and engineering. This encompasses initiatives such as social enterprises addressing equity education, large corporations integrating sustainability and circularity into their supply chains, and healthcare professionals exploring strategies to improve vaccine uptake and trust among marginalized groups. As a result, the Summit promises to provide you with enriching experiences and conversations, filling in the gap between classroom-based learning and real-world applications.
Early bird pricing ends April 20th, and registration closes April 25th. For more details about the activities, speakers, and registration, please visit Banff System Summit website [New Tab]
