Issues like poverty, ethnic conflict, and climate change are incredibly dynamic and complex, involving an ever-shifting array of factors, actors, and circumstances. These challenges demand a more fluid and adaptive approach.

While we can shy away from these challenges because they’re so hard, understanding complexity leads us to a different perspective. We can see these challenges as opportunities for change.

This introductory course provides an overview of complex challenges, how to understand them, while providing an opportunity to understand what makes them different from other challenges,

Over two 90-minute sessions, we will set you off on the path towards learning how you can achieve greater impact with your work. Join us. This introductory course provides an overview of complex challenges, how to understand them, while providing an opportunity to understand what makes them different from other challenges, Over two 90-minute sessions, we will set you off on the path towards learning how you can achieve greater impact with your work. Join us.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand what makes systems “complex” and the characteristics of complexity

  • Understand what makes challenges characterised by complexity different from other situations (for example technical problems)

  • Understand the differences between responses to complexity that are “fit for purpose” and those that are not.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome

    • Welcome to the course - Read this first!
  • 2

    Session 1 - 18th Jan

    • Recording | Session - 1
  • 3

    Session 2 - 20th Jan

    • Session 2 - Recording

  • 4

    Session 3 - 22nd Jan

    • Intro to Complexity (Jan2021) Session Slides

    • Session 3 - Recording
  • 5

    Reading Materials

    • Complexity - A Guided tour

    • The Structure Of Scientific Revolutions 3rd ed - Thomas Kuhn

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who finds themselves struggling to understand the nature of changes sweeping the globe, many of which impact us personally and professionally. You might be working in the public sector, the nonprofit sector or the business community.

It is especially valuable for those working professionally in situations of complexity needing clear, jargon free language to understand and communicate why these situations are the way they are.

How is this course different from other courses?

The foundation for all of our courses at Complexity University is practice.

We have two decades of practical experience working on many of the world’s most complex challenges. Unlike many courses, we do not simply teach cut and paste “best practice.” We invite you into what can be called “reflexive practice,” where we together reflect critically on what practices are most appropriate for you and the context you’re in.

Our courses are synchronous, which means no canned lectures and no passive learning. Our group sessions are live, with plenty of interaction and space for discussion.

Who, when, and how much?

The sessions will be run by a diverse group of Faculty. Click here for Faculty Info

Schedule

The sessions will take place via Zoom at 1500 GMT(London)/1000 EST (New York)/2030 IST (Delhi). Check www.worldtimebuddy.com to find when this is for you.

Each session will last for 90 minutes and take place via Zoom.

Session 1 - 18th Jan

Session 2 - 20th Jan

Session 3 - 22th Jan

Cost

We believe that this knowledge about facing complex challenges should be available to all regardless of class background, age, academic level, etc . So all our courses are offered to you in the spirit of gift culture (contribute what you can). This doesn't mean the course is 'free'. This means we invite you to choose an amount that you feel able to afford, or feel the course is worth. This enables us to offer the course to a wider range of participants than if it were to be offered at a fixed price.

We’ve put some suggested amounts in the sign up - If you belong to an organisation then we suggest choosing a larger amount to enable others to participate at a lower cost.

We offer Scholarships for all our courses.

WE WILL NOT TURN ANYONE AWAY DUE TO INABILITY TO PAY.