Thinking and modelling Systems-Oriented Solutions for Sustainability – SYDIC SUMMER SCHOOL 2022 (ENG)

Scholars, researchers and professionals met in Como, from September 12 to September 16, at the 2022 SYDIC Summer School on “Thinking and modelling Systems-Oriented Solutions for Sustainability”, organized by SYDIC, the national branch of the System Dynamics Society, and the Lake Como School of Advanced Studies. For the whole week, our students could deepen theories, methodologies and tools that allowed them to acquire new knowledge and skills aimed both at understanding complex problems in sustainability, as well as at being able to identify systemic solutions.

Through a high-quality teaching programme, including keynotes by Prof. Dennis Meadows (autor of the best seller “Limits to Growth”, 1972), by the Italian Minister for Sustainable Mobilities and Infrastructures Prof. Enrico Giovannini (former spokesman of the Italian Association for Sustainable Development – ASVIS) and speeches from Prof. Patrizia Lombardi (President of RUS, the Italian Network of Universities on Sustainability) and Maria Chiara Pettenati (Research Director at INDIRE, an Italian public agency dealing with research and innovation in education, including the integration of systems thinking in schools),  around 30 selected students from different realities were able to learn, by means of a collaborative approach, both basic-to-intermediate Systems Thinking and System Dynamics knowledge as well as about different tools and applied models. An innovative teaching approach provided for the acquisition of in-depth theoretical and practical concepts, and it was specifically developed and applied by aggregating students into mixed working groups. In particular, participants were able to implement their models in an open access simulation environment (Silico^®) as well as test their mental models through the group exercises from the Systems Thinking Playbook (from Linda Booth Sweeney and Dennis Meadows).

The interactive work experience was perceived by participants as one of the main strengths of the SYDIC Summer School. Many students emphasized how, in addition to the incredible academic work of the various speakers and educators, the collaboration with motivated participants during the week created the right atmosphere for learning, improving, sharing, and even having fun.

Set in the beautiful landscape of the Lake of Como, the SYDIC Summer School once more has thus had the chance to provide, through an interactive educational approach, what is needed to learn about the development of qualitative, quantitative and dynamic models aimed at understanding and orienting organizational efforts towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The challenges ahead are many and there is a need for a network of new (Systems) Thinkers, educated today so as to create a more conscious and productive tomorrow!