Course detail

Welcome to Cross- and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Systems Thinking – Theories and Methodologies

Description: The course intends to facilitate learning opportunities for PhD students to 

1. participate in conceptual thinking of system thinking as a concept from multiple lenses 
2. collaboratively work with interdisciplinary approaches to research designs surrounding the topic of system thinking in diverse scientific fields
3. develop open-mindedness towards working with alternative perspectives to better understand the complexity of reality and its challenges.

Course activities: A problem- and project-based learning approach is adopted in this course, involving participants working in reflective teams on real-life issues related to current research interests, and their intersections in a systems perspective. This will lead to collectively a produced outcome/product to be presented at the end of the course. 

Assessment: Collaboratively written cross- or inter-disciplinary products/presentation are submitted, presented and peer-evaluated on  Day 3.

2 weeks after the course, individual post-reflection (1-2 pages) are submitted, reflecting on the value, benefits and challenges related to systems approaches in relation to the specific PhD project,

Prerequisites: None

Learning objectives: Participants are expected to

• reflectively conceptualize systems thinking from multiple lenses and its relevance for their current practice,
• collaboratively apply cross- and interdisciplinary systems thinking lenses to relevant research topics and designs to address the complexity of rea-world problem-solving,
• critically self- peer evaluate outcomes/products related to systems thinking and relevance of system approaches to their current and future research practice.
  
  

Organizer: Lykke Bertel and Thomas Elliot

Lecturers: Aida Guerra, Xiangyun Du, Søren Løkke, Lykke Bertel and Thomas Elliot

ECTS: 3.0

Date: 11, 12  & 13 November 2026 

Place: Aalborg University

City: Aalborg

Maximal number of participants: 30

Open for enrolment: 11 August 2026 

Deadline for enrolment: 21 October 2026

Important information concerning PhD courses: There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course.

You may find more information in our FAQ: https://phd.moodle.aau.dk/local/page/faq 

For inquiries not described in the FAQ, please contact the PhD administration at phdcourses@adm.aau.dk. When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.