UNESCO Chair
A joint UNESCO Chair with Aarhus University in Anticipatory Leadership and Futures Capabilities.
Established in August 2022, the UNESCO Chair in Anticipatory Leadership & Futures Capabilities, hosted by Aarhus University and the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies has achieved significant outcomes in education, research, policy development, and community engagement in line with its four interconnected missions: conducting research in futures and leadership, incorporating futures thinking into education, integrating it into public policy and governance, and democratising futures through civic engagement, arts, and culture.
THE CHAIR ENGAGES A MISSION DRIVEN PORTFOLIO OF INTERCONNECTED PURPOSES
- EDUCATION, DISSEMINATION AND TRAINING through curriculum development, educational courses, electives and resources for students, educators, the public, practitioners, organisations business leaders, and governments.
- RESEARCH ON FUTURES FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS through knowledge creation about and documentation on anticipatory leadership and futures capabilities, to support and promote their dissemination and widespread adoption.
- ENHANCING ANTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE by promoting the adoption of futures, foresight and long term thinking, as well as futures related capacity building, in governments, multilateral organisations, and the public sector.
- DEMOCRATISING FUTURES THROUGH PUBLIC AND CIVICENGAGEMENT by making resources and knowledge accessible to the public as well as promoting and engaging the public in discussions and experiences about futures through arts, culture, and civic engagement.
These aspirations are aligned with the strategic objectives of UNESCO, in particular:
- Developing education systems to foster inclusive, lifelong learning opportunities.
- Empowering learners to be creative and responsible global citizens.
- Shaping the future education agenda.
- Promoting the interface between science, society, and ethical and inclusive policies for sustainable development.
- Fostering creativity and the diversity of cultural expression.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2022-2024
- The Chair has successfully integrated futures literacy and foresight into educational curricula, including the launch of the Danish Hub of Teach the Future for primary and secondary education, and introducing anticipatory methods into graduate courses at Aarhus University, Parsons School of Design in Paris, Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College, and the Danish National School of Performing Arts, among others.
- Significant advances have been made in professional and community training, such as a series of open courses, institutional capacity-building for the Asian Development Bank, training for Network Partnerships for Future Generations Africa, and workshops for more than 100 cultural leaders, educators, and experts across Denmark, in collaboration with the Danish Library Association, the Association of Danish Museums, and the national UNESCO ASP School network.
- The Chair has contributed to academic publications in journals such as Futures & Foresight Science and participated in futures programming at the Academy of Management Conference, the Global Futures Forum, and the Future Generations Forum by the Wales Commissioner for Future Generations.
- Noteworthy initiatives for national and international advocacy and mobilisation include the development of the Futures Barometer, a national survey on Danish attitudes toward the future. The Chair has also been advocating for capability training engagements with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and mobilising nationally and internationally toward the UN Summit of the Future (UNGA79), which the Chair has received special accreditation to participate in.
- Public engagements and civil society mobilisation include online Futures Seminars and partnering with the Future Days Festival (Lisbon), combined with a wide range of talks, panels, and moderations at events such as the Danish Democracy Festival and the annual Danish Culture meeting, as well as initiatives like the Futures Philanthropy project with PHILEA, which extends the reach of futures literacy into philanthropy and civil society.
THE ROAD AHEAD
- To ensure a futures-prepared society, it is imperative that anticipatory leadership and futures capabilities gain widespread adoption across education, governance, research, and community engagements. The UNESCO Chair in Anticipatory Leadership & Futures Capabilities remains committed to systemically enhancing futures literacy by continually advancing research on futures, foresight, and responsible business, expanding educational initiatives, fostering greater public engagement, and advocating for integrative policy development to build resilient and anticipatory societies.
- The commitment to integrating futures literacy into the Danish educational curriculum remains steadfast. The Chair is actively pursuing additional support to ensure the continuation and expansion of educational endeavours, tying futures capabilities to the well-being of youth.
- Leveraging the outcomes of the UN Summit of the Future, the Chair aims to boost local capabilities and support futures-oriented policies in response to the Pact for the Future and the Declaration for Future Generations.
- Continuous efforts to merge futures and philanthropy will support a sustainable, futures-prepared, and anticipatory philanthropic sector, exploring the future of impact measures and value creation.
