u-school Programs
The u-school for Transformation offers action-oriented learning experiences structured as both live and self-paced programs. Our curriculum blends systems thinking, action learning, social arts, awareness-based practices and multi-sector learning and collaboration.
The theory and practice of Theory U and how to apply it to shifting your system.
Innovative techniques, combining multiple sources of intelligence (head, heart, hand) to identify the deeper dynamics and leverage points for systems change.
Awareness practices that allow individuals and groups to sense the emerging future and to gain clarity and confidence for action.
Social arts methods and tools that offer new insights and shift the social fields within groups and institutions.
Practices for turning ideas into action through prototyping, experimentation and learning by doing.
Leadership skills that support you in navigating complexity, activating the commitment and capacity for action in teams, and shifting entrenched institutions toward their highest potential future.
Build your own learning pathway for a certification of your choice.
Choose the programs that most support you and your work
Theory U and Presencing
- Introduction to Theory U: a free self-paced short overview of Theory U.
- u-lab: a free 6-week MOOC on the basics of Theory U frameworks, tools and methods, and how to apply them to the most pressing challenges of our time.
- Theory U Presencing Foundation Program | Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego to Eco: an intensive program with the introduction to Theory U and Presencing framework, tools and methods, and how to apply it to your own context.
- Ecosystem Leadership Program | Modules 1-3: It is a regional enabling infrastructure to activate personal and collective awareness-based transformation and impact. The program is structured as a two-year cycle of 3 modules.
Social Arts | Social Presencing Theater
- Social Presencing Theater Basic Course | The Art of Making a True Move: an introduction to Social Presencing Theater.
- Social Presencing Theater | The Art of Cultivating the Social Field: an intensive practitioner development program in applying SPT expertise to enable social field shift.
Social Arts | Visual Presencing
- Levels of Scribing: to learn and apply the 4 Levels of Scribing.
- Scribing Essentials: a foundational experience with the Model of Practice, as defined in the book Generative Scribing. More info.
- Visual Practice for Theory U: Applying scribing to each movement of Theory U, to see and sense an emerging future. More info.
- Visual Sensemaking: An open program to gain access to deeper layers of knowing, by mapping current realities and future possibilities. More Info.
- Applied Visual Sensemaking: A custom-designed experience for a group or organization’s focused topic. Inquire.
Deep dive on Tools and Practices
- Levels of Listening: to understand which levels of listening there are and how we can practice the different listening skills.
- How to apply 3D System Sculpting: for creating three-dimensional models that map a current situation or system and identify leverage points for change.
- How to apply Sensing Journeys: taking people out of their daily routine or context in order to experience their organization, challenge, or system through the lenses of different stakeholders.
- How to apply 4D System Mapping: a tool that offers deep and transformational insights about the system by making more visible its current reality and emergent potential.
Transforming Finance as a Force for Good
- Just Money | Banking as if Society Mattered: for learning how banks to use capital as a tool to promote social and environmental wellbeing.
- Leading in Times of Disruption: for bankers in values-based institutions seeking to co-imagine and co-create a new way of doing finance.
Workshops with Key Partners
- Executive Champions Workshop | ECW: ECW brings together diverse leaders from around the world who share a vision of helping people connect more deeply to place and one another as a basis for regenerating the institutions that shape our society.
Image credit for cards: SPT, Awareness Practices and Space Holding | Pablo Sanhueza @p.sanhueza.gutierrez
u-lab cycle
u-lab 1x | Learn to Lead from the Emerging Future
This MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) run in partnership with MITx is a 6-week program on the foundations of Theory U, a transformative process for transformative change that blends systems thinking, consciousness and wisdom traditions, and civic action. It is a “learning by doing" program where you get familiar with Theory U tools, methods, and frameworks and start cultivating your ability to apply them to your life and work.
This is an online self-paced course complemented with synchronous live sessions bringing together thousands of change makers from around the world.
u-lab 1x runs every year starting September. In partnership with MITx.
u-lab 2x | From Prototype to Eco-System Impact
u-lab 2x is designed to help teams apply their learning from u-lab 1x, PFP or ELFP, to change initiatives in their communities and organizations. Participating teams join a three-month, online and offline innovation journey that applies awareness-based tools and methods to and rapid cycle prototyping to help to evolve from prototype to eco-system impact.
This is an online self-paced course combined with live sessions for teams. Participation is by application only.
Usually, u-lab 2x runs every year from February to May. In 2025, due to lack of funding, the u-school won't be able to offer this program. If you have any questions or would like to support this work, please write to support@presencing.org.
Introduction to Theory U and Presencing
Introduction to Theory U | Leading Change in Times of Disruption
This is a free 90-minute course to introduce you to Theory U, a framework and method for leading and supporting systems change based on the work of Otto Scharmer and colleagues at MIT. u-lab 0x is an entry point to a longer journey and emerging global network – both of which you will have the opportunity to join after completing this course.
This is a self-paced course.
Theory U Presencing Foundation Program | PFP
The "Theory U: Leading Deep Transformation for Business, Society and Self" is a foundational hands-on, 4-day experiential intensive program, offered in retreat style, with a group of 60-80 other participants. In the Presencing Foundation Program, you will be facilitated through a U-process, learning and/or deepening your understanding of the foundational frameworks, participating in the core methods and tools, and gaining action confidence to actualize the emerging future you want to be a part of. The program is designed to enable you to build connections with others, contribute to the cultivation of a generative social field and experience the U-process in depth with their cohort.
The PFP is offered in-person, in English once each year in Europe or the USA.
Ecosystem Leadership Programs (ELP)
Ecosystem Leadership Program | Module 1: Personal Foundations
Ecosystem Leadership Program Module 1 | Personal Foundations is a 4-day intensive in person and in Nature program, with multi sector leaders and change agents from the same region, to cultivate the kind of leadership needed to face the challenges of our time, activating the deepest sources of knowledge and inspiration for systems change.
The ELP module 1 is offered only in-person. Each region has admission criteria specific to the regional program.
Read about last edition. New ones will open soon in Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Ecosystem Leadership Program | Module 2: Collective Impact
A 4-day intensive in person and in Nature program, with multi sector leaders and change agents from he same region, to deepen and to put into practice the methodologies and the knowledge acquired in the First Module of ELP Latam or equivalent programs (PFP, US Masterclass), to bring ideas into action and keep weaving a community of changemakers to deeply impact systems locally.
The ELP module 2 is offered only in-person. Each region has admission criteria specific to the regional program.
Read about last edition. A new one will open soon in Latin America.
ELP Module 3 coming soon.
Deep Dive on Tools and Practices
Levels of Listening
This Learning Module covers key areas that will help you develop individual, team, and organizational capacity to deepen your quality of listening.
This Learning Module contains:
- The Workbook
- Introduction of Levels of Listening by Otto Scharmer
- Reflections by Otto Scharmer on his own listening journey
- Conditions for listening
- Applications of listening
- Origins of this work
How to apply 3D Modelling or 3D System Sculpting
3D System Sculpting involves creating a three-dimensional model that maps a current situation or system (using small items such as figurines, feathers, pieces of wool, etc. to symbolize elements and dynamics). The 3D System Sculpture is a key tool for individuals and groups to uncover hidden dynamics in systems and identify leverage points for change.
This Learning Module contains
- Introduction audio file (70 minutes)
- 3D System Sculpting audio file (35 minutes) with Beth Jandernoa and Julie Arts
- PDF with step by step instructions for download
How to apply Learning Journeys or Sensing Journeys
Sensing Journeys take people out of their daily routine or context in order to experience their organization, challenge, or system through the lenses of different stakeholders. Sensing Journeys are a key tool and practice for cultivating a capacity to perceive oneself and the system from a new perspective, and to sense new possibilities in a system.
This Learning Module contains
- Introduction audio file (70 minutes)
- Sensing Journey audio file (40 minutes) with Marian Goodman and Julie Arts
- PDF with step-by-step instructions for download
How to apply 4D System Mapping
4D system Mapping is a structured method developed by Arawana Hayashi and faculty of Social Presencing Theater that guides groups through an embodied practice of system sensing. 4D System Mapping is a tool that offers deep and transformational insights about the system by making more visible its current reality and emergent potential.
This Learning Module contains
- Introduction audio file (70 minutes)
- 4D Mapping audio file (45 minutes) with Arawana Hayashi and Julie Arts
- PDF with step by step instructions for download
Space Holding
Digital Leadership (Self-Paced)
Is a specialized intensive program that integrates over 10 years’ experience in creating effective and transformative online spaces. Be on the leading edge of online space-holding: equip yourself for the ever-shifting future of virtual team collaboration. Learn the 10 principles for digital leadership to help you run effective virtual meetings that connect people through engaging the intelligences of the head, heart, and hand.
Social Presencing Theater
Visual Practice
Transforming Finance as a Force for Good
Just Money
Banking as if Society Mattered
What is the role of a bank in producing societal well-being? This program looks into banks that operate differently, namely, “just banks" that use capital and finance as a tool to produce positive social, environmental, and economic change.
No previous knowledge of finance or banking is needed to take this course.
This is a self-paced course with live sessions. Just Money runs every year from July to November. In partnership with MITx.
Workshops With Key Partners
Executive Champions Workshop
Reconnecting to Place and Re-shaping our Future
ECW brings together diverse leaders from around the world who share a vision of helping people connect more deeply to place and one another as a basis for regenerating the institutions that shape our society. It is designed as a full three-day retreat, from August 19-22, 2025.