Learn With Us 

Our Programs

 

 

Our offerings blend systems thinking, action learning, social arts, awareness-based practices, 
and multi-sector learning and collaboration.



OUR OFFERINGS

 


Open Programs

offers


Where to Start?

Introduction to Theory U 

A short 60-minute online course offering an overview of Theory U.
It's the perfect offering to share with others who aren't familiar with it yet!

Core Foundational Courses

Essential learning to apply Theory U in practice as an individual, team, or ecosystem. 
All the courses listed below are part of our certification pathways.

Theory U

ulab

u-lab

A free 6-week online program in partnership with MITx Online, covering the basics of Theory U and how to apply it to your own context. This is our most popular program—discover why!

Foundational
Free or with certificate for $99 USD
Online
Instructor-led for a limited period (Sep-Nov)
With Otto Scharmer
Self-paced (Nov-May)
Self-organizing
For individuals and teams
1x per year
Counts for certification
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u-lab typically runs in two cycles: u-lab 1x from September to November, and u-lab 2x from February to May. In 2025, due to lack of funding, u-lab 2x will not take place, presenting an opportunity to reimagine the program. If you would like to support this work or have any questions, please contact support@presencing.org.

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Presencing Foundation

A 4-day in-person program with a group of 60-80 participants, designed to immerse you in the full U-process alongside your cohort. You'll build meaningful connections and deepen your learning experience together.

Foundational
Paid
In-person
4-days
Immersive
For individuals and teams
In June in Berlin
In October in Philadelphia
With Otto Scharmer
Great for networking
Counts for certification
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Ecosystem Leadership Foundations

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, and activating ecosystemic change.

Foundational
Paid
In-person
4-days
Retreat
For individuals and teams
1x per year in each region
In April in Latin America
In June in Asia Pacific
With Otto Scharmer
Great for networking
Counts for certification
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Social Arts

sptbasic

Social Presencing Theater Basic

A 2-day in-person or 3-day online program designed to develop embodied awareness for social and organizational transformation within a container for flourishing. The course introduces practices to enhance embodied presence, sense larger systems, strengthen relationships, and build confidence for creative solutions.

Foundational
Paid
2 days in-person
3 days online
For individuals
Multiple times per year
In several locations around the world
Embodiement-based
With Arawana Hayashi
Counts for certification
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Scribing Essentials

A foundational program to develop the inner capacities of scribing—a process of drawing while people talk—for real-time reflection. 

Foundational
Paid
Online
Self-Paced
Coming soon
Visual Art
With Kelvy Bird
For individuals
Counts for certification
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Core Collective Impact Courses

eli

Ecosystem Leadership for Impact

A 4-day intensive in-person and in-nature program with multi-sector leaders and change agents from the same region, to bring ideas into action, to keep weaving a community of changemakers, and to deeply impact systems regionally. 

Paid
In-person
4-days
Retreat
For individuals and teams
1x per year in each region
In April in Latin America
In June in Asia Pacific
With Otto Scharmer
Great for networking
Requirement: Ecosystem Leadership Foundations
Counts for certification
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Core Deepening Courses

Theory U

eld

Ecosystem Leadership Deepening

A 4-day in-person program held in nature, bringing together multi-sector leaders and change agents from the same region to deepen the knowledge acquired in the Foundation level and to bring ideas into action.

Paid
In-person
4-days
Retreat
For individuals and teams
1x per year in each region
In April in Latin America
In June in Asia Pacific
With Otto Scharmer
Great for networking
Requirement: Ecosystem Leadership For Impact
Counts for certification
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Social Arts

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Social Presencing Theater Practitioner Development 

An intensive yearlong practitioner development program in applying SPT expertise to enable social field shifts.

Advanced
Paid
In-person and Online
Yearlong
For individuals
Embodiement-based
With Arawana Hayashi
Requirement: SPT Basic or Presencing Foundation
Counts for certification
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Visual Practice for Theory U

Applying scribing to each movement of Theory U, to see and sense an emerging future.

Advanced
Paid
Online
Self-paced
Visual Art
Requirement: Scribing Essentials
Counts for certification
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certifications

Open Certification

To build a solid foundation in awareness-based systems change
while earning a practitioner credential

Theory U | Awareness-Based Systems Change

View Certification

spt-certification

Social Arts | Social Presencing Theater

View Certification

Social Arts | 
Visual
Presencing


View Certification

Thematic Courses

These courses are not part of our certification pathways

Executive Champions with Peter Senge 

Reconnecting with Place to Reshape Our Future. A program that 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.

Paid
In person
In nature
1x per year
With Otto Scharmer
With Peter Senge
With Arawana Hayashi
Includes Indigenous knowledge
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Levels of Listening

Kelvy Bird and Otto Scharmer, together with other senior faculty and practitioners, explain one of the most important tools for leadership, innovation, and teamwork. The course explores how we can practice these different listening skills. 

Paid
Online
Self-paced

Activating and Holding Transformative Change Online

Learn how to activate and hold transformative change online—a frontier of leadership facilitating greater accessibility and participation.

Paid
Online
Self-paced

Just Money

This course looks into banks that operate differently, namely, “just banks" that use capital and finance as a tool to address social and ecological challenges. This course is for anyone who wants to understand the unique role banks play as intermediaries in our economy and how they can leverage that position to produce positive social, environmental, and economic change.

Intro
Online
Free or with certificate for $99 USD
Self-paced (Jul-Nov)
1x per year
Presencing Institute is the holding entity that maintains the governance, management and administration of u-school and other initiatives supporting awareness-based systems change.
 
Presencing Institute Inc
1770 Massachusetts Ave. #221
Cambridge, MA 02140 - USA
 
 

Support Us
The Presencing Institute is dedicated to offering free courses, resources, and knowledge to our global community. To ensure the sustainability of this work and support the team behind it, we also need to offer some paid activities and fundraise to help fund our efforts.
We are deeply grateful to our global community for all the ways you give. Your financial contributions are vital to sustaining and expanding the Presencing Institute's mission. With your support, we can continue to provide free resources and develop new initiatives.

Donate

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