Certifications

There are as many pathways to transformation as there are changemakers. For those seeking a structured capacity-building experience, the u-school for Transformation offers three practitioner certification pathways.


For information about the release of our certifications and/or related programs, please subscribe to our newsletter:


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Our three practitioner certification pathways:

  • Theory U | Awareness-Based Systems Change,
  • Social Arts | Social Presencing Theater 
  • Social Arts| Visual Presencing.

Each step of the certification journey includes:

  1. core theory 
  2. action learning
  3. awareness-practices
  4. real-world applications

The certification pathways culminate in an applied final certification project, putting the tools and methods into practice in your own context.

By pursuing a Practitioner Certification, you will gain foundational knowledge of the framework and concepts of your chosen pathway as well as relevant practice experience, which will equip you to use these tools and methods in your own work. 

Completion of all certification pathway components earns a u-school for Transformation Practitioner Certification which will be displayed on your u-school Profile page and can be added to your LinkedIn profile too.

Theory U | Awareness-Based Systems Change

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spt-certification

Social Arts |
Social Presencing Theater

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Social Arts |
Visual Presencing

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How it works?

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Step 1: Complete the programs.

Register for the required and elective programs for your certification pathway. You can choose from a variety of programs and program formats that suit your needs and budget. There are no time restrictions for the certification pathways, so you can pursue the programs at your own pace. Either a program certificate or proof of completion from a u-school faculty member is required to verify your successful completion of each program.

Step 2: Apply learning to a project.

After all programs for your certification have been completed, you will engage in an action learning project of your design, where you apply the relevant methods, tools and space holding capacities learned to your own context.

Step 3: Submit your final certification project.

By purchasing the Certification Project Workspace, you will access a portfolio form to document your experience. In your personalized, online form, you will upload images and videos that document your project and demonstrate your expertise. You will be guided to deepen your learning through reflective journaling questions.

Purchasing the Certification Project Workspace

What will you get?

  • Access to a dedicated workspace for certification participants with specific content to guide you throughout the entire process.
  • Dedicated support chat.
  • A visual tracker that shows where you are in the process and what remains to be completed.
  • Access to a personalized certification project portfolio form.
  • A platform where you can share your project with the certification community and get feedback.
  • Live AUA (Ask-Us-Anything) session(s) with u-school faculty and the community participating in the certification.
  • Be able to print your certification project at the end.
  • Easily share your Practitioner Certification to your CV or resume, or post it directly on LinkedIn.
  • The capacity and confidence to start practicing awareness-based systems transformation in the world.

You will have access to this workspace at any point in time. Access to your Certification Project portfolio form will be opened after all required learning programs are completed. Please note that programs still need to be purchased separately. 

Costs

Individual program costs vary depending on the format (online, or in person). We offer a range of prices reflecting differences in currency value across countries/regions. In addition, some scholarships are available. Please note that costs as such, travel, and accommodation for in person programs are not included in our programs’ price.

The cost of the Certification Project Workspace is:

Tuition:

  • $975 USD for business/consultants, corporations, donor organizations, philanthropists, impact investors
  • $590 USD for non-profits, social leaders, community activists, members of the academic community
  • A limited number of scholarships are available for those who experience an uncertain personal or professional financial situation. Please reach out to support@presencing.org if you want to apply to a scholarship.

Verification

Final Certification Projects are reviewed every semester. Your certification project submision will be verified by our team and we might send you some feedback that can lead to some potential iterations of the submission form.

Once the certification project is verified, you’ll receive your Certification by email as a downloadable PDF. You will also find it on your u-school profile, ready to download at any point in time.

Certificates are configured for uploading and sharing on LinkedIn.

Some Testimonials

"The Presencing Institute is becoming successful in democratizing the Theory U tools, with free courses and open-sourced materials. Though really valuable and needed, such openness sometimes gives space to adaptations and shortcuts. A certification provides organizations, participants and communities a certainty that the practitioner offering Theory U tools has concrete experiences with those tools, and also understands their theoretical background and their ultimate purpose of profound personal and societal transformation." - Dayani Centeno-Torres, Puerto Rico

Some Testimonials

"Why do I need a certification? Today I am 72 years old. If changing a career path is difficult for a young professional, imagine how challenging it has been for a man my age living in a country experiencing a profound disruption. Certification will give an official seal to my practice, leveraging it further." - Hélio Borges, Venezuela

Some Testimonials

"A big reason Theory U is important to me is that it validates and brings structure to things I know inside are true. The certification process helps clear out what has quality, is valid and is truth. The shared experience with staff and incredibly inspiring colleagues, makes a difference." - Rafael Maretti, CEO BASE Colaborativa, Brazil

Interested in pursuing a certification? Sign up for notifications and we will let you know when the programs become available.


Theory U
SPT   Visual Presencing

Questions about this pathway? Write to us for support

faq


Commonly Asked Questions

  • What are u-school Certifications?
    u-school for Transformation by Presencing Institute offers three Practitioner Certification Programs: Awareness-Based Systems Change, Social Presencing Theater and Visual Presencing. Certifications are are comprised of a series of programs, plus a final certification project.
  • What is included in the price?
    The price you see on this page is for the Certification Project Workspace only. It gives you access to:
    • Access to a dedicated closed workspace for certification participants with specific content to guide you and others throughout the entire process.
    • Dedicated support chat.
    • A visual tracker that shows where you are in the process and what remains to be completed.
    • Access to a personalized certification project form.
    • A platform to share your certification project with the certification community and get feedback.
    • Live AUA (Ask-Us-Anything) session(s) with u-school faculty and the community participating in the certification.
    • Be able to print your portfolio at the end.
    • Easily share your Practitioner Certification to your CV or resume, or post it directly on LinkedIn.

The individual program prices are NOT included, and should be purchased separately

  • Do I need to follow the recommended order to complete programs?
    The pathway is flexible. The order you see on the u-school website is a recommendation. You can pursue the suggested programs in the recommended order or differently. When you have finished all relevant components, the certification will appear on your profile page.

  • I have missed a program registration deadline. Is it possible to join the program that is in progress at the moment? When is a new program starting?
    It is not possible to onboard new participants for an existing course, as each module of the course builds on the previous one. Our programs calendar can be found here. The best way to keep up with announcements on our program schedule is to follow our newsletter.

  • How can I be notified when new programs are available?
    You can sign up for our newsletter as we announce upcoming programs there. 

  • If I have participated in these programs in the past will that be taken into consideration?
    Yes, all the programs you have completed will be displayed on your profile page. If any information is missing, you can manually upload your program certificate and, once validated, it will be included for the certification. If all required programs are reflected  in your tracker, you can start your application project immediately.

  • I have taken a program with a similar name but outside the Presencing Institute or the u-school for Transformation. Will that count for the certification?
    Only programs with a certificate from the Presencing Institute or u-school for Transformation are considered.
  • How do I earn a Certificate of Completion for the programs?
    All u-school programs that are part of Certification pathways are eligible for Certificates of Completion. To earn your u-school for Transformation Certificate of Completion, you must attend the program and  participate as required by each program. Certificates will be automatically awarded upon successful completion of the program and will be delivered to you if in person and/or appear on your u-school Profile. To locate your certificate, just login to your u-school account, and check your dashboard. Still don't see one you think you earned it in the past? If you have it, you will be able to upload it yourself on your profile very soon. Alternatively, you can contact us at support@presencing.org and we'll investigate.
  • I have done a program with the Presencing Institute but never got a certificate. How can I get one for my past programs?
    For u-lab 1x editions prior to 2023, certificates were issued by edX for those registered in the verified certificate track. If necessary, please contact edX directly to obtain your certificate.
    For all other PI/u-school programs your certificate should now be reflected on your u-school Profile page. If not, you can upload a certificate and request validation. Alternatively, you can write to us at support@presencing.org.

  • What is the certification completion time?
    The certification pathways are built in a flexible way so you can shape the learning journey to suit your needs. Some programs are several months long and others that take a few days. The primary focus of the certification pathway is application and that takes time, so if you know from the start that you would like to pursue a certification pathway, it will need some forward planning. 

  • Can I apply for the certification now?
    Currently the certification pathways are in soft launch mode and some of the functions are still in development. This functionality will be enabled throughout 2023. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive the launch announcement.

  • What is the enrollment period for the final certification project submission?
    Enrollment to submit your final certification project can be done at any time. However, the verification from our team will be done at the first week of every month.
  • Can I use a project I have already completed for my final Certification Project?
    If you have completed all required programs before registering for the certification pathways, you can use a project completed within the past two years. If you are currently taking the certification programs, you will need a new Certification Project that allows you to put your new learning into practice in your context. 
  • Will getting this certificate entitle me to do work on behalf of the u-school or the Presencing Institute?
    No, this certification does not entitle you to represent the u-school for Transformation and/or the Presencing Institute, use our brand or display on our website. But it does certify you to be recognized as a quality-level Practitioner of Theory U, with training in the frameworks, methods and tools, equipping you to start applying awareness-based systems transformation in your context. If you are interested in a more advanced level of certification in the future, please subscribe to our newsletter to receive new program announcements. 

  • Can I take more than one certification at the same time?
    We recommend focusing on one pathway at a time, but you are able to register in more than one Certification pathway, if your schedule allows. The primary focus of the certification pathways is application, and that takes time. We estimate that completion of a Certification in one-year requires a minimum of 5 hrs/week per Certification. If that does not feel feasible, we recommend taking the certifications separately.
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