Course

Masterclass Societal Transitions

12 apr, 2021 - 17 sep, 2021

 
Werk jij aan maatschappelijke verandering en wil je, samen met andere aanjagers, kennis en kunde hierover opdoen en in jouw praktijk toepassen? Schrijf je nu in voor de vijfde editie van onze Masterclass Societal Transitions! Inschrijven kan tot maart 2021.
 
(cursus en beschrijving zijn Engelstalig)
 
Covid-19 update (as per December 2020)
Due to coronavirus restrictions, the 2020 edition had to be rescheduled and reorganised. The 2021 edition will take place in a blended setting, welcoming participants both in-person and online. The Impact Hub Amsterdam has excellent facilities for hosting the course days in a blended format, closely adhering to Dutch government guidelines. The new program  will also have two additional fully online peer-learning sessions in between the blended course dates.
 
Here is an overview of the new MC SoTra 2021 dates:

  • 12-14 April – 3 days of online intensive course
  • 20 May, 14:00-17:00 – online peer learning session #1
  • 17 June, 14:00-17:00 – online peer learning session #2
  • 16-17 September – 2 days of blended deepening & wrap-up

 
Program 
The Masterclass Societal Transitions, designed by Impact Hub Amsterdam and DRIFT’s Transition Academy, combines the latest scientific research on sustainability transitions, social innovation and entrepreneurship with pragmatic insights and experiences from transition management and entrepreneurial practice. Special attention is paid to issues of power relations and processes of empowerment, including the paradoxes and dilemmas underlying change. Our speakers and facilitators are action researchers, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are specialised in understanding and accelerating transformative change in diverse fields of work, including climate change, energy, agro-food, inclusiveness & participation, sustainable urbanism and circular economy .
 

Step back from your daily routines to connect with other motivated change agents and gain a new perspective on your mission and role in leading change.

 
Transition Learning in Action
 
Content
A growing community of researchers and practitioners argues that our societal challenges ask for sustainability transitions: processes of fundamental transformation towards more sustainable and resilient societies. Across society, community initiatives, activists, entrepreneurs and policy-makers are working on innovative solutions to tackle societal challenges and enable societal transformation.
 
But how do innovations contribute to systemic change? Under which conditions can innovation drive transitions towards more sustainable, just and fair societies? How are innovations cultivated, empowered and scaled? What can we learn when we combine the insights of researchers and experienced social entrepreneurs, policy entrepreneurs and change makers, to set and encourage the change agenda within our own projects and organizations?
 
The Masterclass Societal Transitions provides the setting and tools to answer these questions by combining state-of-the-art research with deep critical reflection and applied action learning. We provide a diversity of perspectives to enable you to discover what fits you and your goals and to construct you own transition strategy.
 
Learning outcomes
During the Masterclass you will learn to:

  • Apply system thinking
  • Analyze transition dynamics in your field
  • Identify relevant actors and power relations
  • Recognize societal trends and movements
  • Design a transition intervention
  • Construct your own transition strategy

 
For who?
The Masterclass is designed for a diverse combination of policy-& decision-makers, sustainability professionals, network leaders, researchers and other changemakers. You represent a variety of fields, ranging from energy, food and circular economy, to inclusivity, participation, health and education, and/or holistic perspectives on sustainable and just cities and regions. You share a strong commitment to being in a learning trajectory that combines intellectual input with active participation and learning from and with each other.
 
Masterclass Societal Transitions Learning in Action
 
Programme (draft)
The course kicks off with three days of intensive learning (blended) in April 2021, followed by two fully online peer-learning sessions and a two-day blended deepening and wrap-up of the course in September 2021. In the period April and September, we will challenge and guide you to apply acquired concepts and insights to your own context through a transition case study and a transition intervention experiment. Here is a more detailed version of the programma:
 
Day 1 – Monday 12 April 2021

  • Sharing learning questions
  • Interactive lecture “Introduction to transition thinking” with Dr. PJ Beers (Lecturer New Business Models for Agriculture & Food Transition at HAS University of Applied Sciences)
  • Interactive multi-level constellation

Day 2  – Tuesday 13 October 2021

  • Interactive lecture “Transition governance – urban transition cases in  Rotterdam & Amsterdam” with prof. dr. Derk Loorbach (director DRIFT) 
  • X-curve exercise on transition dynamics & intervention opportunities
  • Interactive lecture: “Entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship and ecosystems for change” with Tatiana Glad (director Impact Hub Amsterdam) 

Day 3 – Wednesday 14 October 2021

  • Interactive lecture: ““Shifting power dynamics in social innovation and transitions – examples from energy” – Dr. Flor Avelino (Researcher DRIFT & academic director Transition Academy)
  • Power dialogue on power dynamics in your own field & work
  • “Experiencing &  changing power relations through Theatre of the Oppressed” with Luc Opdebeeck (Director Formaat)
  • “Empowerment of people, movements and networks for sustainable & just transitions” with Dr. Flor Avelino & Giorgia Silvestri (Researcher & facilitator DRIFT & UrbanA) 
  • Deep Dive: applying learnings to your own work & peer-to-peer exchange
  • Synthesis & moving forward: harvesting and integrating learnings and key insights
  • Working session: Preparing learning case work in real-life contexts

Online peer-learning 1 – Thursday 20 May 2021, 14:00-17:00
 
Online peer-learning 2 – Thursday 17 June 2021, 14:00-17:00
 
Day 4 – Thursday 16 September 2021

  • Interactive lecture “Transitions in Action: Daring Strategies to Accelerate Societal Change”, with Marjan Minnesma (director Urgenda) 

Day 5 – Friday 17 September 2021

  • Sharing and peer review of learning cases
  • Feedback & feedforward into a personal transition strategy
  • Interactive Lecture followed by Public Talk & drinks. Speaker to be confirmed. Speakers in previous years included: Marjan Minnesma (Urgenda), Jan Rotmans (DRIFT) and Eva Gladek (Metabolic)  

 
Darin Strategies to Accelerate Change Marjan Minnesma
 
Price*
The course fees for the 2021 edition of Societal Transitions are:

  • 3995,- for corporate / government / public sector
  • 3241,- for NGO’s / small organisation / freelance/individual

 
Early-bird fees (valid when you apply before February 10, 2020):

  • € 3395,- for corporate / government / public sector
  • € 2755,- for NGO’s / small organisation / freelance/individual

*All prices listed are excluding VAT of 21%. 
 
The course price includes full participation in the course, personal feedback, lunches, and one dinner. Upon successful completion of the course participants will be granted a certificate from DRIFT Transition Academy, Erasmus University Rotterdam. 
 
Register now!
You can sign up via our online registration form.
 
Location
This a blended course. This means that participants who can and want to join in person are welcome in  the vibrant Impact Hub Amsterdam, and those who prefer to join online can fully do so via Zoom.
 
More information
Please get in touch with course coordinator Giorgia Silvestri if you would like more information or have any questions.
 
To get an impression from one of our alumni, read this blog by alumnus Carmen da Silva Wells or get to know one of our trainers through this  interview with Luc OpdeBeeck!