What is u.lab?
U.lab is a platform that blends new tech tools, social change processes, and multi-local community building efforts aims to catalyze and scale societal renewal.
U.lab is part of anannual capacity building and systems impact cycle ( Societal transformation Lab) links three initiatives, with the intention of cultivating a global eco-system for profound societal and civilizational transformation.
Going forward, The Societal Transformation Lab will facilitate an annual innovation cycle that consists of the following three components:
- U.lab 1x
The newly revised and improved u.lab 1x will run from September - December annually, taking participants on a journey from sensing and connecting to deeper sources of knowing to generating powerful prototype ideas.
- U.lab 2x
Running from February - May, taking teams on a journey from prototype intention to real world impact and change on the level of real world ecosystems
- Global Forum and DoTS
Weave and connect change makers across sectors and geographies through monthly online Dialogues on Transforming Societies (DoTS) and an annual Global Presencing Forum (June 2020, Berlin).
What is u.lab 1x Leading from the emerging future?
U.lab 1x (this program) introduces Theory U, a framework and methodology that individuals, teams, organisations, and even larger social systems can use to respond to disruptive change with compassion, curiosity, and courage.
The u.lab 1x experience will offer a timely, accessible and practical introduction to Theory U and the Ego-to-Eco framework for societal transformation. Whether your goal is to further catalyze a global movement responding to climate change, effect change in your organization or evolve your own approach to leadership, u.lab will help you develop innovative approaches to leadership challenges for which past experience may not be a helpful guide for what to do next. U.lab will build your capacity to lead from the emerging future.
U.lab 1x takes 13 weeks, and is on the one hand a free course (a massive, open, online course) & on the other hand an awareness based innovation process.
It is designed for anyone who wants to see, be and effect change and wants to work together towards this goal by:
learning about Theory U
joining a global community of changemakers;
addressing today's challenges in an integrated way;
developing and implementing practical solutions to the challenges we are dealing with.
You can engage with u.lab 1x in multiple ways:
- Browse
- Use it to familiarize yourself with the Theory U concepts
- Leadership Development
- Use it to build your own leadership capacity; learn how to shift the inner place from where you operate.
- Prototype
- Develop an emerging idea into a prototyping project or initiative.
From Prototype to Ecosystem Activation
- Those who want to go deeper into prototyping now have access to an annual cycle that includes both u.lab 1x (Sept-Dec) and u.lab 2x (Feb-May). Compared to previous years, this means there is less pressure to produce a full scale prototype in the three-month u.lab 1x course. For more information on u.lab 2x and how to apply for 2020,
O2O; Offline to Online
There are three different mechanisms to make this 'course' more than just a MOOC, by creating the opportunity for participants to connect with people from all over the world and within their local community:
1. Live sessions
In addition to the bi-weekly course content, we organise 4 live sessions during which the global community of participants comes together at the same time. It gives you the opportunity to interact with the course faculty and have a shared experience with other like minded people around the world.
2. Participate in - or host a hub
Another way to make the course more active and impactful is to participate in - or host a hub.
Hubs allow you to connect with other u.lab participants in your city/sector/organization and experience the course together. This is an unique opportunity to learn together, develop connections, or potentially even address a particular challenge you all care about and wish to tackle.
3. Coaching circles
Coaching circles are a very effective method in u.lab for moving from concept to practice. The backbone of coaching circles is a process we call case clinics, and this will be introduced in the first module.
A coaching circle is a group of +/- five u.lab participants who will meet virtually or physically for 75 minutes each week to practice deep listening and support each other in developing new ways of approaching their current leadership challenges.
Some people prefer to form a virtual coaching circle with other u.lab participants from different parts of the world. U.lab 1x will introduce the technology to form such a coaching circle.
Where and when
The Hub Host Community connects on the Presencing site: https://www.presencing.org/community/hubs
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1518042781794990/
The course content is offered on the edX platform (mid September-mid December) and launches again on Sept 12th.
Enrollment is open:https://www.edx.org/course/u-lab-leading-emerging-future-mitx-15-671-1x-0.
U.lab 1x takes 13 weeks in total, giving participants two weeks to complete each of the 5 modules.
Here are the key dates for u.lab 1x 2019:
- September 12th: Launch. Orientation module released.
- September 19th: First Live Session. All Course material released.
- October 17th: Second Live Session
- November 14th: Third Live Session
- December 12th: Final Live Session
- All live sessions will take place at 10am Eastern US Time.