In a rapidly changing world, leaders and organizations must anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to future shifts. This course equips students with the tools and skills to engage in futures thinking and foresight. Through a combination of theoretical insights and hands-on participatory exercises, participants will explore how to integrate future-oriented strategies into leadership and competence management.
The course dives into futures studies methods and tools — such as scenario planning, trend analysis, and foresight techniques — to help students envision possible, probable and preferable futures and develop competencies necessary to navigate them.
During an intensive period, students will apply these methods to real-world challenges, creating innovative solutions with foresight tools. Students will also explore how futures thinking can transform self-leadership and personal development, enhancing their decision-making and leadership capabilities. The theme of this year’s implementation is the Future Work and Competences. By focusing on futures work, students will not only learn how to manage change but also how to lead with foresight and agility.
This is unique 3AMK collaboration course, which is coordinated by Haaga-Helia UAS
Key words
future thinking, foresight, future skills, anticipate, future scenario, future fit, future work
Enrollment
This course is open for all.
Degree student
Enroll for this course on Peppi/Pakki/OMA. You can find the course with its name or code xxxx (Haaga-Helia tarkentaa koodin)
Path student
Haaga-Helia’s path student: Enroll for this course via this link.
Laurea’s path student: Enroll for this course on Pakki. You can find the course with its name or code xxxx (Haaga-Helia tarkentaa koodin)
Metropolia’s path student: Enroll for this course via this link.
Open UAS student
Enroll for this course via this link.
Course details
Course schedule:
- Enrollment period: 5.5. –26.10.2025
- Preliminary assignment (deadline): 11.11.2025, assignment available: 27.10.2025
- Intensive period: 20. –22.11.2025 (Thursday–Saturday) 9:00-16:00 at Haaga-Helia Pasila Campus
Individual assignment (deadline): 12.12.2025
Course language: English
Target group: Master’s level students and all those who are interested in futures thinking and/or futures of work and competences.
Learning platform: Haaga-Helia’s Moodle, log in with Haaga-Helia user ID | If you do not have active Haaga-Helia user ID, you will receive it after the enrollment period.
After having completed this course, the student is able to:
- Understand the core principles of futures studies and foresight
- Apply foresight methods, to create futures images and prepare for them.
- Evaluate competencies and organizational capabilities in light of future trends, megatrends and uncertainties.
- Analyze personal leadership development in the context of future-oriented thinking and practices.
Course content
Introduction to Futures Thinking, Futures Studies and Foresight
- Overview of futures studies: definition, scope, and methods.
- Key concepts in foresight
- Futures thinking in the context of leadership and organizational change.
- Introduction to strategic foresight tools.
Exploring Methods and Building Future Competences
- Practical application of foresight methods
- Group work: Developing visions of possible, probable and preferable futures
- Competences in the face of future uncertainties.
- Identifying skills and leadership qualities needed for future challenges.
- Fostering future-proof organizations
Futures Thinking in Self-Leadership and Personal Reflection
- The role of self-leadership in navigating change and uncertainty.
- Group work presentations: Using foresight methods to address organizational and leadership challenges.
- Individual reflection: Personal growth through futures thinking
Teacher(s)
Teachers: Margit Suurnäkki (Haaga-Helia), Vesa Heikkinen (Haaga-Helia), Pasi Hario (Laurea) & Nea Granlund (Metropolia)