System Mapping is a global competition of Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, delivered in partnership with educational institutions around the world. Since its inception in 2015, Map the System has been designed to change the conversation about social impact education - from an overemphasis on "heropreneur" and new solutions' (usually in the form of a proposed new programme or social enterprise) - to focus on a deep understanding of complex problems as the basis for transformative change.

The competition challenges participants to use systems thinking as a guiding approach to understanding some of the most complex issues facing the world today. Participants will explore a social or environmental problem close to their hearts and have time to explore, probe and research all its elements and connecting factors - later sharing their findings so that people can understand, share and learn meaningfully.

This is not a pitch competition, but rather a discovery process for participants from all disciplines interested in social and environmental change. It is designed to promote a systemic mindset among participants and encourages a learning first approach to social change - one in which people take the time to understand and build on existing efforts before trying something new.

The system mapping is designed to students e recent graduates of any discipline who are interested in social or environmental issues and want to learn more about a problem close to their hearts and present their findings to the world. It is ideal for those who meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Those who have an existing passion or have lived through a particular socio-environmental experience and would like to study this problem in detail to understand what kind of intervention in the system would be most effective.
• Those who are looking for a high-impact career and want to understand where their unique skills can best be applied to effect lasting change.
• Those who have an existing solution, product or business idea in mind, but would like to do in-depth research into the problem to understand which solutions have already been tested, and are willing to run their idea on the basis of their findings.

How does it work?

• Every year, universities and post-secondary institutions around the world partner with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Said Business School, University of Oxford, to offer the System Map to their students for a local edition of the competition.
• With the dedicated support of the Skoll Center team, teachers (professors or staff) from partner institutions lead the organisation of Map the System on their campus for a localised edition. Institutions can choose to offer the competition to students at campus or departmental level and can also choose to incorporate Map the System into their credit programme or run it as an after-school programme.
• Affiliated students and recent graduates from all disciplines and levels can apply to take part individually or as part of a team of up to 5 members and spend the next few months immersed in a social or environmental issue that they are passionate about.
• Participants learn and use the principles of systems thinking as a guiding approach to understanding a complex social or environmental challenge and create visual systems maps as a way of articulating their findings so that people can understand, share and learn meaningfully - key skills for those who want to create systemic and sustainable social or environmental change.
• A team of finalists from each partner institution is selected to present their findings at the World Finals in June.

Format

Participants are expected to adopt a systems thinking approach to their research analysis and present their findings in three ways, requiring three sets of narrative skills: visual, written and verbal.

The submission components include:A visual systems mapA written summary of the research results (maximum 3000 words) and a detailed bibliographyA 10-minute verbal presentation followed by questions and answers from the judges. (for teams selected to present at a local final or qualify for the World Finals)

For more information:

Visit the official map of the System 2021 global competition website