Learn how to analyse complex systems and stakeholder dynamics and bring people together to achieve responsible, systemic change.
Leading Systemic Change prepares you to work with complex challenges that cannot be addressed through technical solutions alone. These challenges often involve interconnected organisations, technologies, resources, stakeholder interests and societal or environmental developments.
The course combines systems thinking with practical approaches to leading change. You learn how to examine a system from multiple perspectives, understand stakeholder dynamics and recognise why ambitious innovation plans may struggle during implementation. You also develop skills to involve and motivate stakeholders, connect people across organisational or disciplinary boundaries and avoid overly simple solutions to complex problems.
Through a challenge-based project, you apply these perspectives to a case provided by an external partner. The course helps you strengthen your personal profile as a systems thinker and change agent who can support responsible, informed change within teams, organisations and broader socio-technical systems.
Organisations and societies increasingly face interconnected challenges involving technology, people, policy, resources and the environment. These challenges are sometimes described as wicked problems because they have no single cause or straightforward solution.
Effective systemic change requires professionals to understand how different parts of a system influence one another. It also requires the ability to work with competing interests, include different viewpoints and bring stakeholders together around possible interventions. Systems thinking and change leadership help professionals look beyond isolated problems and develop solutions that account for the wider context and possible long-term consequences
This programme uses an interactive learning approach. Participants work on a case provided by an external partner and investigate the technical, human, political, environmental and resource-related dynamics of the system.
The programme includes workshops, supervised project sessions and interactive learning activities. Participants develop their ability to assess system behaviour, map stakeholder relationships and identify factors that support or hinder change. The course also addresses how professionals can communicate across boundaries, involve stakeholders and facilitate inclusive change processes.
Academic staff and guest experts contribute theoretical knowledge and practical perspectives on systems innovation and change leadership. The schedule may vary because external challenge providers and guest contributors are involved. The programme is offered physically at the University of Twente.
During the programme, participants reflect on questions such as:
This course is intended for professionals who want to strengthen their capabilities in systems thinking, organisational change and strategic transformation. It is relevant for professionals working in engineering, management, public administration, design and related fields who are involved in organisational or societal transitions.
Typical participants may include project managers, programme managers, engineers, designers, policy advisors, innovation managers, change professionals, consultants and professionals working across organisational or disciplinary boundaries. The multidisciplinary structure makes the course especially suitable for people who work with complex challenges involving several stakeholders and interacting technical and social systems.
If you successfully complete the course, you will receive a microcredential. This microcredential is a digital record confirming that you have passed the assessment components of the regular master’s course and achieved the corresponding learning outcomes.
You may also participate without completing the assessments. If you choose this option, or do not pass all assessment components, you will receive a digital certificate of participation.
Start date: 19 April (Q4)
Total duration: One quartile
Study load: Approximately 140 hours
Number of teaching days/sessions: Workshops, supervised project sessions and interactive learning activities. The exact schedule is to be confirmed.
Total programme fee: €2,067.15 (5 ECTS × 413,43)
Programme type: Master insert
Course code: 202600489 (More information through this Osiris link)
Location: University of Twente, Enschede, NL
Language of instruction: English
Delivery format: On-campus education
Study materials: Required materials will be provided digitally during the programme.