Since 1975 WFSF has offered courses to young people around the world, introducing them to the concepts and methods of the futures studies field. WFSF Futures Courses have been held in Dubrovnic, Romania, USA, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Egypt, Iran and DR Congo. Please refer to the details below for a chronological list of the Futures courses that have been offered since the 1970’s.
WFSF Introductory Futures Courses and Workshops
2015
2014
2013
Cairo, Egypt
Lumabashi, DR Congo
2011
Penang, Malaysia
2005
The Budapest Futures Course IV follows the WFSF World Conference on 24-26 August 2005. BFC participants will take part in the various sessions of the World Conference. Following that, the course will encourage discussion and conference evaluation from the younger generations’ perspective, provide more futures tools, and provide a forum for joint action for WFSF youth.
2003
Budapest Futures Course III: The Youth for A Less Selfish Future, August 16-23, 2003, Action for the Future. The Budapest Futures Course 2003 plans to discover institutions and movements acting for the future in order to network the international efforts. This makes complete the Youth for a Less Selfish Future program with emphasising ‘for’ this time. It was held at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration in conjunction with WFSF and funded by UNESCO.
2001
Budapest Futures Course II: The Youth for A Less Selfish Future. Underlining ‘less selfish’ BFC 2001 aimed at discussing new values on which new societies can be built. We focused on how these changes appear in futures studies and in future visions of the youth. The programme concentrated on the cultural surroundings of shifts in values. The course was held at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration in conjunction with WFSF and funded by UNESCO.
1999
Budapest Futures Course I: The Youth for A Less Selfish Future, August 7 to 19, 1999. The expression ‘for a less selfish future’ points out that the leading principle is future orientation in harmony with the new programmes of UNESCO: ‘future talks’ and ‘future discussions’. The course was held at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration in conjunction with WFSF and funded by UNESCO.
1997
Series of futures workshops and seminars held by WFSF members at Queensland University of Technology in conjunction with the Communication Centre
4th Asia-Pacific Futures Course: An Introduction to Futures Studies Visioning for the Future and Educational Perspectives. Malaysia, June 1996
1996
Creating a 21st Century Philippines – Futures in Education and Futures of Education.
Philippines, September 1996, workshop in conjunction with the Philippines Futuristics Society.
1995
Futures in Education.
Malaysia, December 1995, workshop in association with the IKD and the Malaysian Ministry of Education.
The Futures of Universities.
Lismore, Australia, November 1995 (in conjunction with WFSF), workshop at Southern Cross University.
1994
3rd Asia-Pacific Futures Course: An Introduction to Futures Studies Futures of Peace: Civilizations, Structures & Visions.
Philippines, November 1994.
The Problems of the New Europe: Society and International Relations.
International Summer School, held in conjunction with the Italian Sociological Association
Gorizia, Italy, September 1994.
2nd European Futures Studies Course: Futures of Communication.
Andorra, 1994.
Futures Visioning for South East Asia: Some Early Warning Signals.
Penang, Malaysia, September 1994, in association with Institute of Policy Research (Institute Kajian Dasar).
1993
2nd Asia-Pacific Futures Course: An Introduction to Futures Studies Futures of Ecology.
Thailand, August 1993.
1st European Futures Studies Course: Futures of Education.
Andorra, May 1993.
1992
1st Asia-Pacific Futures Course: An Introduction to Futures Studies Futures of Development: Historical Roots, Present Trends and Alternative Futures.
Bangkok, Thailand, August 1992.
1987
Visions of Higher Education III.
August 1987, Dalian, China, in cooperation with the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute; Stockton State College; The European Association for Research Development in Higher Education; The Government of Liaoning Province; and the University of Hawaii.
1986
Visions of Higher Education II.
August 1986, ZÅrich, Switzerland, in cooperation with the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute; Stockton State College; The European Association for Research Development in Higher Education; The Government of Liaoning Province; and the University of Hawaii.
1985
Visions of Higher Education I.
August 1985, Pomona, New Jersey, USA, in cooperation with the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute; Stockton State College; The European Association for Research Development in Higher Education; The Government of Liaoning Province; and the University of Hawaii.
1977
Futures Course
Dubrovnic
April 4 – 22, 1977 (three weeks)
1976
Futures Summer School
Sibiu, Romania
August 1 – September 1, 1976 (four weeks)
1975
Futures Course
Dubrovnic
February 17 – March 14, 1975 (four WEEKS)
Educational futures at the school level includes both introducing futures concepts and methods to school children and young people, and also speculative research about what alternative approaches to school education might better suit the 21st century than the current industrial models of school education.
Social Foresight:
Futures Thinking for Social Foresight (FTSF) brings together a range of tried and tested resources for helping young people to develop a wide range of futures concepts and capabilities. Some of the material presented here has been drawn from two previous resource books: Futures Tools and Techniques and Futures Concepts and Powerful Ideas. (Click here to know more).
Postformal Education:
Gidley, Jennifer (2016), Postformal Eudcation: A Philosophy for Complex Futures, Springer Interational Publishing
Teach The Future Library:
By giving young people the tools to engage with the future early in life, Teach the Future is equipping them to face uncertainties and challenges and helping them discover their role in shaping the future. Education is meant to prepare students for the future, something we can only do well if we teach the future itself.
You can access the Library of Teach the Future here. It is FREE of charge.
Numerous websites provide useful information for pursuing education and training in futures & foresight. Sharing the lists below is just for information purposes.
American University Washington D.C.
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Global Foresight + (Related) Study Program Directory
Mastering Foresight at LBL Strategies
The Singularity Executive Program
Where to learn futures studies?
The World Futures Studies Federation now offers its standards to institutions interested in achieving accreditation in futures studies. Institutions offering programs that meet the Federation’s standards will be credentialed as an Accredited Foresight Program. [Click here to Apply for Accreditation]
To verify which programs have obtained WFSF Accreditation you can visit the
WFSF Members Directory and filter for Accredited members [click here].
