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Readiness and Foresight

Course Overview

This program is designed to empower leaders, strategists, and institutional planners with the knowledge and tools to anticipate change, manage uncertainty, and drive proactive transformation.

Rooted in globally recognized foresight methodologies and aligned with international excellence and resilience frameworks (such as OECD, WEF, GEM2, and EFQM), this course provides participants with a structured pathway to build institutional readiness, craft strategic foresight, and implement actionable transformation plans.

Participants will explore how to scan global trends, assess institutional capabilities, build adaptive strategies, and establish foresight governance models. Through real-world case studies, hands-on simulations, and guided action planning, learners will gain the competencies needed to embed foresight and agility within their organizations.

 

Who Should Attend

  • Strategic planning and policy professionals in the public or private sector
  • Innovation managers and transformation leaders
  • Scenario planners and national visioning teams
  • Researchers and analysts in think tanks and foresight units

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the principles and methodologies of strategic foresight and future studies
  • Conduct environmental scanning and horizon scanning using real-time data
  • Build and test alternative future scenarios to challenge assumptions and guide planning
  • Apply foresight tools such as Delphi, Futures Wheel, and Causal Layered Analysis (CLA)
  • Integrate foresight into policy development and strategic planning processes
  • Lead collaborative foresight sessions that foster long-term thinking and systems change

Course Content

Introduction to Strategic Foresight and Future Thinking

  • Definition, purpose, and origins of foresight and futures studies
  • The role of foresight in government transformation and national planning
  • Differences between forecasting, planning, and foresight
  • Exploring the characteristics of complex, uncertain environments
  • Strategic foresight as a tool for resilience and policy innovation
  • Case studies of national foresight programs (UAE, Finland, Singapore)
  • Overview of foresight disciplines: megatrends, weak signals, wild cards
  • Core competencies of a professional foresight practitioner

Environmental Scanning and Trend Analysis

  • Horizon scanning: identifying drivers of change and future signals
  • Using STEEP/PESTLE frameworks for structured environmental analysis
  • Trend curation and categorization: social, technological, economic, environmental, political
  • How to differentiate between trends, patterns, and noise
  • Applying scanning data to anticipate emerging challenges and opportunities
  • Tools for documenting and visualizing trends (Trend Cards, Matrices)
  • Group exercises in signal detection and thematic clustering
  • Designing and maintaining an institutional foresight radar

Scenario Building and Systems Thinking

  • Scenario planning methodologies: intuitive vs. deductive approaches
  • Building 2×2 matrix scenarios and alternative futures narratives
  • Introduction to the Futures Wheel and its application
  • Using Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) for deep futures exploration
  • Systems thinking and mapping: identifying leverage points and feedback loops
  • Cross-impact analysis and scenario stress-testing techniques
  • Developing scenario personas and immersive storytelling
  • Applying scenarios to inform risk mitigation and innovation strategy

Integrating Foresight into Strategy and Policy

  • Embedding foresight in strategic planning, visioning, and governance
  • Creating foresight-informed policy design frameworks
  • Aligning scenarios with long-term national development goals
  • Using foresight in regulatory impact and public investment planning
  • Developing institutional foresight capabilities and internal teams
  • Linking foresight to SDGs, ESG, and global policy agendas
  • Communicating foresight insights to decision-makers and the public
  • Challenges in adoption and strategies to institutionalize foresight culture

Applied Foresight Project and Presentation

  • Capstone assignment: develop a foresight project for a chosen sector or policy issue
  • Conduct scanning, trend analysis, and scenario development
  • Design a future-ready strategy or policy concept based on insights
  • Prepare a visual scenario map or foresight report for executive use
  • Facilitate a mini foresight workshop simulation with peers
  • Present findings to a mock strategic planning board or ministry team
  • Peer evaluation and reflective discussion on futures practice
  • Practical demonstration and applied learning outcomes

Table of Contents

Course Code DU0710 Category

Language: English or Arabic

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