u-lab: Leading From the Emerging Future

u-lab is more than a course. It's a free, open infrastructure for transformation — where personal change becomes the gateway to systems change.

Run in partnership with MIT Learn, this MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) introduces Theory U: a process blending systems thinking, consciousness and wisdom traditions, and civic action. It's learning by doing — you experiment with new behaviors and actions alongside fellow changemakers facing similar challenges in different systems and geographies.

This is the final u-lab edition offered through MIT Learn.

For ten years, u-lab has run in partnership with MIT Learn, reaching a quarter of a million changemakers worldwide. This edition closes that chapter.

With this program you have a chance to:

Earn the verified MIT Learn certificate ($99) — a credential that will not be offered again
Learn Theory U directly from its source — Otto Scharmer and senior MIT and Presencing Institute faculty
Join the final cohort in partnership with MIT Learn — a global community that has been sensing into the new together since 2015

The course is free. The MIT Learn certificate won't return.

A framework. Theory U — developed at MIT — blends systems thinking, consciousness and wisdom traditions, and civic action into a method for leading profound change in business, government, and society.

A community. Connect in coaching circles and self-organized hubs with participants from 185+ countries. Transformation needs community.

A practice. This is learning by doing: tools and methods you apply directly to your life and work — cultivating organic intelligence, presence, and the capacity to act from source.

Fully online. Live sessions September–November 2026, then self-paced until May 31, 2027.

Two platforms, one journey

u-lab is a partnership between MIT Learn and the u-school for Transformation, and your experience spans both:

On MIT Learn — all course content, guided through the five modules that make up u-lab. If you're pursuing the verified certificate, this is also where you track your work.
Here on u-school — connect with other participants, form a coaching circle, engage in dialogue, and access the tools and methods introduced in the course.

To participate, you must enroll on both platforms:

On u-school — click the register button on this page
On MIT Learn — when clicking "Enroll Now," you'll choose the free track or the $99 verified certificate (note: you'll be taken outside the u-school platform)

Timeline

September 10, 2026 — Orientation opens. The Orientation Module becomes available two weeks before the first live session, so you can get acquainted with the course format and platform — and set up your learning journey. During orientation, you'll be invited to:

Join or form a hub — a group of participants, in person or virtual, who learn and co-create together throughout the course
Form a coaching circle — a group of 5–6 participants who meet regularly to work on each other's real leadership challenges, using a structured Theory U practice.

Both are optional — but participants who go through u-lab together go deeper. Use this time to invite a friend to join you, or connect with fellow participants through the u-school platform.

Coaching circle participation also counts significantly toward the certificate.

September 24 – November 19, 2026 — Facilitated course (8 weeks), including live broadcast sessions from MIT. All program materials will be made available.

Live Sessions (Thursdays, 10:00–11:30 ET):

September 24 — Live Session I
October 22 — Live Session II
November 19 — Live Session III

Ask-Us-Anything (Thursdays, 9:00–10:00 ET):

October 8 — Ask-Us-Anything I
November 5 — Ask-Us-Anything II

November 19, 2026 – May 31, 2027 — Self-paced access. The full course remains available as a self-paced learning experience. (The course is not monitored during this period.)

Beyond the modules, u-lab is interactive: self-organized local and interest-based hubs where prototype seeding can activate transformation at the community level.

Good to know

Prerequisites: None.
Language: The program is in English, but community volunteers have translated materials into a growing number of languages, helping remove language barriers.
Certification: u-lab is part of all u-school for Transformation Certification Pathways. A verified certificate from MIT Learn is required for these pathways — another reason this final edition matters.

Questions? Write to u-lab@presencing.org.

Q: Why does the course operate on two online spaces?

A: u-lab is offered in partnership with MIT Learn. In order to fully complete the u-lab course, you will need to navigate between 2 online spaces during the entire journey:

The MIT Learn platform where you will find the course content; and
The u-school for Transformation (by Presencing Institute) - this current website - where you will find the tools and community space.

With this two-platform approach, you will be able to benefit both from an MIT Learn certificate and our unique action learning tools.

Q: Do I need to create an account for two websites?

A: Yes, taking the u-lab course requires navigating two online spaces. Please note that this will entail creating an account on both the MIT Learn platform and the u-school for Transformation by Presencing Institute website to gain access to the areas you need for practicing and engaging. After the first login, it should be seamless to navigate between both platforms.

Q: Which website is used for what?

A: The MIT Learn platform is your reference point for:

All course material: instructions, modules, what to complete, videos, and handouts.
Subtitles in various languages.
Latest course announcements.

The u-school for Transformation by Presencing Institute website (this website) is your reference point for:

Sharing your reflections and journaling snippets on the Discussion Boards (chat).
Connecting with other participants, for instance through the Participants section, Chat, Hubs and Coaching Circles. If activated by the member, you have the option of Direct Messaging each other as well.
Practicing particular exercises, such as the Case Clinic method and the Listening Assessment.
Ask Us Anything (AUA) Office Hours (live sessions, recorded for later viewing, to answer participant questions and provide guidance along the way).

Q: How much time investment do I need to plan for?

A: The average time investment for u-lab is estimated to be 4-6 hours per week. However, unless you are on the verified certificate track (which comes with strict deadlines), the course is pretty much self-paced. Therefore, you could - in theory - spread those hours out over a longer period of time.

Factors to consider are:

Every module is different in terms of time investment.
Only the verified certificate track participants truly have deadlines to uphold.
Although we will hold live sessions to guide you through your experience from September to November, you can review all recordings and go through the course at your own pace till May 31, 2027.
Material will remain available in both u-school and MIT Learn archives after the closing of the course.
We encourage you to prioritize those practices that feel most relevant to your context, time availability, and question/challenge.

Q: What is mandatory to complete in the course?

A: The course has several modules with a three-level structure:

Core content
Action Learning - for implementing the tools
Deepening - extra material (optional)

You can choose to do all or skip the levels you don't want to do. For certification, both Core Content and Action Learning levels are required.

u-lab has two stages: instructor-led and self-paced.

The instructor-led stage is guided by u-school and MIT faculty, offering live sessions from MIT that provide inspiration and direction for your learning and work. It also includes optional interactive Ask-Us-Anything sessions, where you can ask questions and engage with the community. This stage runs from September 24th to November 19th, 2026.

The self-paced stage means that no live support will be available from the u-school team, but you have the flexibility to learn at your own pace until May 31st, 2027. After that, the course will close, so keep this date in mind if you're aiming to earn your certificate.

We recommend that you join all live sessions, form hubs and coaching circles between September and November (as it might be harder to find people after that period), and take your time implementing the tools as it suits your group’s needs.

Q: Do I need to sign up for a verified certificate?

A: No. The u-lab course is meant to be offered for free and is accessible to anyone with an internet connection (provided the country you’re in allows access to the MIT Learn website). This option, however, does not come with a certificate.

Some people opt to pay for the verified certificate track to be able to demonstrate to others that they have completed the course. That is also required for the u-school for Transformation Certification Pathways. If you decide to register for a verified certificate, this comes with a fee ($99 USD) and a strict deadline for completion. If you do not complete 60% of the course before the deadline, you will not receive the certificate, even though you paid the fee. Therefore, please only opt for a certificate if you can follow through on your commitment.

Q: Can I decide to get the certificate later than the program start date?

A: Yes, you can take that decision till May 27, 2027.

Q: What is the deadline for a verified certificate?

A: The deadline for completing at least 60% of the course for a certificate is the same as the course deadline. No certificates can be issued for submissions after that deadline. Please note that this edition is the last opportunity to earn the MIT Learn certificate.

Q: How are submissions for certificates assessed?

A: Your assignments for the course will not be graded or assessed in the traditional manner. There are no tests, exams, or quizzes. At the end of each graded module you will find a section called "Get Credit for your Work." In this section you will indicate what work you completed during the week.

The u-lab is pass/fail. You will need a 60% overall grade to pass and earn a certificate. Our grading system is completely on the honor code, which means that progress (completion of activities) is self-reported. Your progress is assessed only based on assignments completed, not on your interaction with the course materials. Your certificate will become available as soon as you've passed this 60% threshold.

Each week, there will be activities you can do to earn credit:

Core Content:

Watch the videos (10%)
Participate in a Live Session (10%)
Complete the Course Reading (10%)

Action Learning:

Participate in a Coaching Circle (30%)
Do the Core Practice for the Module (20%)
Complete the Listening Assessment (10%)
Engage in Reflection Exercise (10%)

Module 0 is orientation and will not be graded.

Modules 1-5 will each be worth 20% of your overall grade.

Module 6 is the closing session and will not be graded.

At the end of each graded module you will find a section called Get Credit For Your Work. In this section you will indicate what work you completed during the week. At the end of the course the MIT Learn platform will automatically calculate your grade based on the work you have reported.

Q: I can't attend the synchronous components of the course. Am I still allowed to join and have the possibility for a certificate?

A: Yes, you can watch the session recordings later and get your certificate till the course end date.

Q: I joined u-lab a past edition and chose to do a certificate path but I couldn’t finish it. Can I transfer the certificate payment I did in last edition to this one, or do I need to make a new payment to have the certificate?

A: No. This edition is the last opportunity to earn the MIT Learn certificate.

Q: Is all course content translated?

A: The course language is English. However, self-organized groups of volunteers, which we call "Language Communities" or "Language Hubs," have kindly offered their time to serve the community by translating the course content either fully or partially. They also provide support and answer questions in native languages.

If you wish to contribute to translations in your language and/or host a Language Community, please contact us at u-lab@presencing.org for more information.

"u-lab is a life-changing experience. You will become more mindful of yourself, more connected with your inner sources of knowledge and wisdom, therefore more attuned and empathetic to others, and to the world. One of the most powerful questions I´ve found in u-lab is: What is the future that wants to emerge? What does that future require from me?" — program participant

"Theory U offers a safe container for systems change to unfold naturally. It invites us to move past analyzing, overthinking and controlling; into navigating change using our hearts, intuition and connections as a compass. It allows us to reach future realities that want to unfold. The magic: it always keeps us moving towards our highest potential. — I’m in again by the way!" — program participant

"It is a profound journey of transformation that begins within ourselves, connecting us to a new level of consciousness that facilitates accompanying others toward a state of wonderful co-creation, collaboration and flow." — program participant

"I had the privilege of experiencing this course in 2015, and later deepened my practice through two more u-labs. For me, Theory U is a powerful way to truly listen to what reality is asking of organizations and teams. It’s about going down that curve to open the mind, open the heart, and open the will — and from there, respond with who we truly are and what we can genuinely contribute. This is especially relevant in today’s highly disruptive context, marked by what Theory U describes as several profound breakdowns. (...) Thank you all for so much received!!!" — program participant

"Learning to deeply listen to what is for collective discovery and exploration of what can be." — program participant

Starting September 2026