Welcome!
To achieve the United Nations' sustainability goals, innovative solutions and adaptable forms of entrepreneurship are crucial to face technological, economic, and societal challenges. In a world where the future influences our daily lives and human actions, we are dedicated to systematically exploring the diverse possibilities it holds. Acknowledging the rapid changes and challenges of today, we recognize the necessity of purposeful exploration of different futures.
Our holistic approach at the UNESCO Chair empowers individuals to actively shape the future with broad perspective. We firmly believe that comprehensive engagement with the future and futures literacy is essential to develop sustainable solutions for global challenges. Futures literacy enables individuals to actively engage with different futures, their ambiguities, and contradictions using their imagination, anticipate changes early, and shape future potentials through innovative solutions.
At the UNESCO Chair at MCI, our mission is to foster innovative approaches that enable a sustainable and future-oriented world. We are committed to promoting research, education, and knowledge exchange to develop competencies for successful future shaping.
Our commitments are to:
- Deepen Understanding: We contribute to deepening the understanding of futures literacy and its related concepts, focusing on the constitutive elements and drivers of individuals’ futures capability.
- Foster Learning: We develop and implement new teaching and training modules for innovation and entrepreneurship students at undergraduate and graduate levels, lecturers, teachers, managers, and practitioners.
Through innovative teaching methods and interdisciplinary research, we empower our students to master future challenges and proactively develop solutions. We strive to create an inspiring environment where students, scholars, and practitioners come together to devise innovative solutions for complex future challenges. Through interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration, we aim to make a positive impact on society and the environment.
The UNESCO Chair offers a wide range of activities focused on systematic engagement with the future. From interdisciplinary research projects to future-oriented courses, our activities aim to cultivate a deep understanding of future issues and promote innovative thinking.
We cordially invite you to join us in shaping the future together!
Contact
More Information
News
UNESCO Chair in Futures Capability for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Projects
Media
May 2024:
- APA Science – „Understanding, Collaboration and Future Orientation“ – Guest Article by Antje Bierwisch, Markus Frischhut, Regina Obexer (15 May 2024) (German)
- MCI – "MCI receives award for UNESCO Chair & Sustainability" (06 May 2024)
April 2024:
- Econova – “Denkraum Programm für Zukünfte” (April 2024) (German)
December 2023:
- Tiroler Tageszeitung – „Forschen zu dem, was kommt“ (16 December 2023) (German)
November 2023:
- Die Presse – „Sich auf eine unsichere Zukunft einlassen“ (18 November 2023) (German)
- Der Standard – „Diese Fähigkeiten werden in Zukunft im Job am wichtigsten“ (16 November 2023) (German)
October 2023:
- MCI – „MCI holds UNESCO Chair“ (12 October 2023)
Activities
Futures Literacy –Conceptual development
Our research activities focus on expanding existing research by exploring the fundamental components, drivers, and factors that shape futures literacy (FL) capabilities at both the individual and group/social levels. We specifically examine the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and futures literacy to deepen our understanding in these areas.
Additionally, we are developing an online self-assessment tool that enables individuals to evaluate their own FL capabilities. This tool serves as a valuable resource for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and training concepts, allowing individuals to track their progress and growth.
We present the results of our ongoing research at various meetings and conferences around the world, where they are met with great interest.
Recent insights:
- MCI participation in the Futures Conference 2023 in Finland
- Presentation of research results at the XXV WFSF World Conference
- Best Paper Award for "Futures Thinking and Arts - Fostering Creativity for a Sustainable World"
For further information, please contact us: futures@mci.edu
Future-oriented Didactic Concepts & Teaching
We are dedicated to creating captivating and innovative teaching content that revolves around futures literacy (FL), futures thinking, and strategic foresight. We constantly strive to enhance the learning experience by exploring dynamic teaching methods suitable for FL, including gamification with computer games and LEGO Serious Play® as well as engaging digital simulations.
Furthermore, we explore the potential of digital technologies like Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence in FL teaching. By embracing these technologies, we aim to deliver immersive and transformative learning experiences that integrate the latest insights.
Recent examples:
- MCI elective module: Creativity & Futures Thinking for Innovation
- MCI elective module: The Art of Improvisation in Business
For further information, please contact us: futures@mci.edu
Futures Literacy Labs & Workshops
We host “Futures Literacy Labs” on desired topics (e.g., futures of work, futures of management, futures of research, etc.). These labs provide the perfect opportunity to break free from familiar patterns and open ourselves to diverse ideas about the future. By embracing these fresh perspectives, we can better understand the present and take meaningful action accordingly. Futures Literacy Labs serve as an ideal starting point to develop the essential awareness needed for Futures Thinking.
Who can participate in these workshops?
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Highschool students
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Undergraduate/graduate students
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Organizations and their teams
Recent insights:
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Shaping Futures of Learning: Students as Technology Pioneers
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Futures of Tyrol 2040 - Visions of the students of HAK Hall & HAK Innsbruck
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UNESCO Chair at the Wemorrow Forum 2024 in Bregenz and Vienna
For further information, please contact us: futures@mci.edu
Train-the-Trainer
We are committed to facilitating knowledge transfer to teaching and educational practitioners. Thus, we are developing an immersive train-the-trainer program, spanning 16 hours in total.
This unique opportunity will be specifically designed for teachers and professors from both national and international educational organizations who are eager to enhance their students' futures literacy (FL) capabilities.
Would you like to become a catalyst for change? Contact us and learn more about our project.
Email us at: futures@mci.edu
Trend Scouting, Inputs & Keynotes
Our team of experts is working intensively on various future topics and methods to inform you about current developments in different sectors. What are trends? How do you recognize them and how do you use them?
Recognizing trends and being able to work with them is the key to shaping the future of your company, developing innovations and acting with foresight. Trend scouting and management is about recognizing emerging patterns and opportunities in different industries in order to adapt strategies for business success accordingly.
For us, working with megatrends is central, where we are happy to provide input and support both individuals and companies in understanding and utilizing them. We also offer keynotes in which we use our topics to show how to actively shape the future, develop innovations and act with foresight.
If you are interested, please contact us: futures@mci.edu
Strategic Foresight for Organizations
Strategic Foresight enables you to identify potential developments and challenges in the entrepreneurial context and at the same time to derive future fields of action. In these workshop formats, participants engage with scientifically proven methods for systematically identifying and evaluating trends, for developing and preparing future scenarios, and for planning and communicating future-robust strategies.
We enable and support employees and management personnel in building up and expanding their individual futures literacy in order to find their way in the complex and dynamic world and to make decisions. By working with practical examples and exchanging experiences with academia and practitioners, participants are able to develop and implement organization-specific foresight processes and projects.
This might be interesting for you:
- MCI Certificate Program “Strategic Foresight Management”
- Publication in Marketing Review St. Gallen:„Leveraging Corporate Foresight“
For further information, please contact us: futures@mci.edu
Team
The team is composed of highly experienced senior experts in the different relevant fields of Futures Literacy and Futures Thinking activities, Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management as well as Business Education and Business Psychology.
