Foresight Events

Over 140 leaders, researchers, practitioners, and change-makers from across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania signed up for our Introductory Webinar on Futures Literacy & Strategic Foresight: Seeing Beyond the Obvious – an engaging global conversation about how we imagine, anticipate, and shape the future.

On May 13, 2026, Dr. Riel Miller, former Head of Foresight and Futures Literacy at UNESCO, and Dr. Candice Chow, Director of the Foresight Lab, led the fast-moving and deeply thought-provoking session, which was not a webinar about predicting trends, but rather a gathering about learning to see differently.

The session introduced participants to the foundations of futures literacy: the capacity to imagine multiple futures, challenge hidden assumptions, and develop new ways of sensing and making sense of change. Through thought experiments and interactive discussions, attendees wrestled with questions many organizations rarely pause long enough to ask:

• Are we preparing for disruption – or still optimizing yesterday’s systems?
• What futures are invisible because our assumptions are too narrow?
• Can organizations truly lead transformation if they only focus on what feels probable?

Dr. Riel Miller guided participants through key concepts including:

• Futures literacy as a learnable competency
• Anticipation-for-the-future vs. anticipation-for-emergence
• The importance of perception before choice
• How organizations can become more futures-literate and resilient in conditions of uncertainty

Throughout the session, he challenged participants to rethink anticipation itself – moving beyond planning and prediction toward deeper “anticipation-for-emergence”: the capacity to engage with surprise, novelty, and the not-yet-imaginable.

Building on this foundation, Dr. Chow explored how strategic foresight becomes actionable inside organizations through frameworks such as:

• The Three Horizons Model
• STEEP analysis
• Dynamic capabilities: sensing, seizing, and transforming
• Values-infused foresight-driven governance

In addition, three live polls revealed important insights from participants:

• Nearly half of the participants were already practicing foresight in some form while many others are only beginning their journey, signaling growing momentum across industries and sectors.
• Most organizations still identified themselves primarily in Horizon 1 (“business as usual”) or Horizon 2 (“transition and experimentation”), while relatively few were actively engaging Horizon 3 – the space of transformational futures.
• Many participants sensed the urgency of becoming more futures-ready, but felt their organizations still lacked the language, tools, or capabilities to fully engage uncertainty and emergence.

One message echoed throughout the session:

Futures literacy is not about predicting the future. It is about expanding our capacity to perceive change, imagine alternatives, and lead with greater agility and wisdom in an increasingly complex world.

Interested in joining our next introductory webinar? Click here to pre-register.

The Foresight Lab at the DeGroote School of Business (DSB), McMaster University launched our Strategic Foresight Certification Program in November 2025, a 30-hour hybrid learning experience combining 3 virtual sessions with an immersive 3-day in-person residency. Aimed at bringing together leaders, professional, researchers, and change-makers interested in strengthening their capacity to navigate uncertainty and shape more resilient futures, the program focuses on exploring how Futures Literacy and Strategic Foresight can enhance decision-making, expand strategic thinking, and support organizational adaptability in a rapidly changing world.

Co-designed by Dr. Riel Miller, former Head of Foresight and Futures Literacy at UNESCO, and Dr. Candice Chow, Director of the Foresight Lab, in collaboration with the Foresight Lab Advisory Council, the program balances conceptual foundations with practical application. Participants are invited to challenge assumptions, cultivate futures literacy, and apply foresight tools to strategic questions facing their organizations, sectors, and communities.

Virtual Kick-off

The learning journey began on November 3 with a virtual kick-off session attended by the 18 program participants from Canada, the United States, and Europe. Representing sectors including technology, financial and consulting services, logistics, human resources, academia, and sustainability, they explored the philosophical and practical foundations of futures literacy while gaining an overview of the program curriculum that would guide the weeks ahead. Through a collaborative co-design exercise, the participants identified key themes for further exploration during the residency, including the future of learning, well-being, governance, leadership, social contracts, caring, and success.

Opening Reception

On the evening of November 6, participants were joined by executives, academics, and industry professionals at the Art Gallery of Hamilton for the Opening Reception themed Exploring Futures through Taste, Art and Imagination. In the welcome remarks, Dr. Elkafi Hassini, Associate Dean of Research at DSB, highlighted the School’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation through initiatives like the Foresight Lab. Dr. Amir Taherizadeh, recipient of the 2025 Foresight Lab Research Grant, shared his work on navigating uncertainty and failed partnerships in AI-driven business model transformation. In his keynote address, Dr. Riel Miller expanded on the importance of imaginative and generative thinking beyond prediction and preference, while members from the Foresight Lab Advisory Council joined Dr. Candice Chow for a thought-provoking panel discussion on Hopes, Fears and Imagined Futures.

In-Person Residency

From November 7 – 9, program participants gathered for an intensive 3-day residency that translated futures literacy concepts into hands-on practice. Guided by Dr. Riel Miller and Dr. Candice Chow, participants engaged with a diverse set of foresight frameworks and methods, including Causal Layered Analysis, Three Horizons, Futures Triangle, STEEP Analysis, Futures Wheel, Implications Analysis, and Scenario Development. Through structured exercises and collaborative inquiry, they examined how underlying assumptions shape perceptions of the future, explored alternative and emerging possibilities, and learned to distinguish between anticipation for planning and anticipation for emergence.

The residency emphasized futures literacy as a practical capability rather than a forecasting exercise. Participants experimented with imaginative futures, challenged dominant narratives, and reflected on how uncertainty can become a catalyst for innovation, learning, and strategic advantage. Working in groups, they applied foresight tools to real organizational and societal challenges, identifying implications, opportunities, risks, and adaptive responses. The residency culminated in participant presentations demonstrating how Futures Literacy and Strategic Foresight can be embedded within organizations to inform strategy, strengthen adaptability, and foster more futures-ready leadership. The experience left participants with not only a deeper understanding of foresight methodologies, but also a renewed appreciation for the role of imagination, collective intelligence, and intentional anticipation in shaping meaningful change.

Post-Residency Virtual Sessions

The learning journey continued on November 14 with a virtual session focused on horizon scanning and the forces shaping the future. Building on the foundations established during the residency, participants explored how organizations can identify, interpret, and respond to emerging developments across social, technological, economic, environmental, and political domains. Discussions examined AI-enabled horizon scanning, macroeconomic shifts, technological disruption, and the importance of challenging ingrained assumptions. Expert speakers and practitioners from banking, academia, consulting, and futures intelligence shared practical approaches for detecting weak signals, monitoring trends, and translating strategic intelligence into informed action. By connecting futures literacy with real-world scanning and sense-making practices, the session strengthened participants’ ability to navigate complexity and make more informed decisions in an increasingly dynamic and uncertain environment.

The final virtual session on November 21 brought together the program’s central themes, exploring how Futures Literacy can strengthen strategic foresight and organizational decision-making. Participants presented on their mini-projects, drawing on futures literacy and an applied set of foresight methods to examine real organizational challenges, and demonstrating how these tools support planning, innovation, risk management, and change leadership. The program wrap-up emphasized that futures literacy expands our capacity to question assumptions, imagine alternatives, and recognize signals that might otherwise go unnoticed, while strategic foresight provides the frameworks and processes to translate those insights into action. The session concluded with a review of final capstone project expectations and an invitation to continue developing futures capabilities within participants’ organizations and communities.

Photos Courtesy of: Aaron Roodhart, Phoebe Hu & Sima Chowdhury

The program received an overall rating of 4.67 out of 5. Participants consistently highlighted the relevance and practical value of the contents, noting its applicability for current and future leaders. Many expressed strong interest in applying the tools and perspectives gained through the program within their own organizations and indicated they would highly recommend the certification to others. As one participant reflected, “I enjoyed the experiential and collaborative nature of the program… the world is so complex that we all need to be leaders ready to be called upon when it’s our turn to share our expertise.”

The inaugural cohort of our Strategic Foresight Certification Program embodied that spirit, demonstrating the power of Futures Literacy and Strategic Foresight to inspire new ways of thinking, learning, and leading in times of uncertainty.

Is the traditional MBA still relevant in a rapidly evolving business world?

Our current educational landscape is far from predictable. Higher education is facing disruptions on multiple fronts:

• the rise of emerging technologies – most notably generative AI;
• shifts in the nature of work and compensation; financial pressures confronting many institutions;
• growing skepticism about the relevance and value of advanced degrees;
• and mounting student debt.

All of these factors are forcing a fundamental re-examination of higher education in the 21st century.

On July 5, 2025, we brought together students, alumni, faculty, and foresight practitioners to take a deep dive into the future of management education. Using a variety of foresight techniques, we challenged participants to reimagine the MBA and explore the underlying assumptions that shape our higher education institutions.

Several thought-provoking ideas emerged from these sessions: a strong desire for community-based learning that combines theoretical business concepts with passion-driven, purpose-oriented learning and practical outcomes. As digital learning becomes more widespread, meaningful human interaction is increasingly sought after as a crucial source of connection and personal growth. Mentorship – and the desire to pass on one’s legacy – has emerged as a compelling means of cultivating the next generation of leaders. This points to a shift away from traditional, structured learning models and toward more customized, relationship-based approaches.

Futures literacy and foresight tools proved to be powerful mechanisms for empowering participants to challenge the status quo. They encouraged the surfacing of fringe ideas or “idyllic” concepts that may initially seem infeasible, but upon deeper reflection, deserve serious consideration.

The Foresight Lab surfaced several critical and provocative questions that must be addressed in charting the MBA’s future. Chief among them:

• Does accumulating more credentials automatically lead to greater success?
• Should the classroom, as we know it, remain the central mechanism for leadership development?
• Could coaching become the new classroom?
• Should MBA become more personalized, allowing learners to curate their own learning pathways?

It is often not just our inability to think about the future, but our lack of courage to go beyond incremental thinking that limits us. Without bold imagination and strategic foresight, we risk missing the opportunity to drive transformative change and to chart a new course for the future of management education.

Futures literacy is a foundational skill for building strategic thinking capability. It challenges us to question our taken-for-granted assumptions, to see beyond the immediate and obvious, to appreciate diverse perspectives, and to summon the courage to imagine what may seem improbable. These abilities unlock our capacity to recognize emerging opportunities and to develop agility and confidence in the face of uncertainty. Without the ability to see beyond our own limited beliefs and unconsciously adopted worldviews, we risk being blinded to possibilities, innovation, and the transformation needed to thrive.

In April 2025, executives from higher education, banking, courier, consulting, and public administration sectors participated in our Futures Literacy Masterclass for an exceptional opportunity to explore the latest advances in futures thinking, offering a unique window into a new and rapidly emerging field called ‘futures literacy’, which empowers organizational strategic foresight capability for sustainable performance.

On June 13, 2024, the Foresight Lab at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University welcomed academics, financial sector leaders, policymakers, social innovators, and community stakeholders for the symposium Banking in the Future: Navigating Fairness, Accessibility, and Equity. The event brought together diverse perspectives to explore how financial institutions can evolve to better serve society in an era defined by technological disruption, growing inequality, demographic change, and increasing expectations around inclusion and social impact.

Throughout the day, participants examined a central question: What would a fair, accessible, and equitable banking system look like in the future, and what actions are required today to create it?

In his opening remarks, Dr. Khaled Hassanein, Dean of DeGroote School of Business, highlighted the importance of bringing together research, industry expertise, and community perspectives to address complex societal challenges. The symposium reflected the Foresight Lab’s commitment to exploring long-term futures while helping organizations make better decisions in the present.

The morning keynote fireside chat featured Doug Conick, President and CEO of DUCA Financial Services Credit Union, in conversation with Dr. Candice Chow, Director of the Foresight Lab. Drawing on DUCA’s history and purpose-driven mission, Conick reflected on the persistent reality that many Canadians remain underserved by traditional financial systems despite living in one of the world’s most stable banking environments. He challenged participants to reconsider how risk is assessed, arguing that traditional credit metrics often overlook the circumstances and potential of individuals who fall outside conventional banking models. The discussion highlighted the growing opportunity for financial institutions to leverage technology and innovation not only to improve efficiency but also to expand access, build trust, and create more inclusive pathways to financial wellbeing.

A recurring theme throughout the symposium was the concept of financial wellbeing, the idea that financial systems should be evaluated not only by profitability and efficiency, but also by their ability to improve people’s lives.

This theme was explored in depth during the presentation by Dr. Brent McKnight and Dr. Paul Snowdon, who introduced the work of DeGroote’s emerging Social Impact Hub. Using predatory lending as a case study, they demonstrated how complex social challenges cannot be solved by any single organization acting alone. With millions of Canadians considered underbanked or financially vulnerable, predatory lending continues to trap many individuals in cycles of debt and exclusion. Rather than viewing these challenges as isolated issues, the presenters advocated for a collective impact approach that brings together financial institutions, governments, community organizations, researchers, and citizens to develop coordinated solutions. Their work emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, equity-centred design, and shared accountability in addressing systemic barriers to financial inclusion.

The discussion continued during a panel on innovative banking solutions and financial wellbeing. Panelists from Prosper Canada, New Power Labs, and SiMPACT Strategy Group explored how financial institutions can contribute to broader social outcomes by designing products and services that address the needs of underserved populations. Participants discussed the economic and social costs of financial exclusion, the importance of measuring financial wellbeing, and the growing need for banking models that balance commercial objectives with social impact. The conversation underscored a powerful insight: improving financial wellbeing benefits not only individuals but also communities, organizations, and the economy as a whole.

The symposium also examined the role of public institutions in creating a more equitable financial future. In his presentation, Dr. Thomas Marois, Professor of Political Economy at McMaster, highlighted the significant but often overlooked role of public banks around the world. With more than 900 public banks globally managing tens of trillions of dollars in assets, public banking institutions have demonstrated their capacity to support priorities such as climate action, affordable housing, economic development, and financial inclusion. Dr. Marois challenged attendees to consider how Canada’s public financial institutions could play a more active role in addressing pressing societal challenges, including economic reconciliation, sustainability transitions, infrastructure development, and equitable access to capital.

Technology emerged as another major theme throughout the day. Presenters and panelists examined both the opportunities and risks associated with digital transformation, artificial intelligence, fintech innovation, and emerging financial technologies.

Dr. Addisu Lashitew, Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at DeGroote, presented research examining the role of financial technologies in supporting small business resilience, particularly among women entrepreneurs during times of crisis. His work highlighted how digital financial tools, including alternative lending platforms, mobile banking, and digital investment technologies, can expand access to capital and improve resilience for entrepreneurs who have traditionally faced barriers within conventional financial systems. The findings reinforced the importance of digital innovation as a tool for promoting both economic participation and equity.

Building on these insights, a panel featuring leaders from Microsoft, Interac Verified, and Fintech Cadence explored strategies for cultivating inclusive banking in the digital age. While Canada has made significant progress in digital adoption, panelists noted that important gaps remain. Issues such as affordability, digital literacy, accessibility, trust, privacy, and infrastructure continue to affect who can fully participate in the digital economy. Discussions also examined the transformative potential of generative AI and emerging technologies to improve financial literacy, personalize services, and expand access, while emphasizing the need for responsible implementation and strong ethical safeguards.

A defining feature of the symposium was its forward-looking perspective. Through an interactive foresight workshop led by Professor. Jan Klakurka at Huron University, participants were invited to imagine the future of banking in 2050. Drawing on strategic foresight methodologies, attendees explored multiple future scenarios shaped by technological advancement, regulatory change, shifting societal values, demographic trends, and evolving consumer expectations. Participants considered how banking institutions, financial systems, and concepts of value itself might transform over the coming decades. The exercise encouraged attendees to move beyond predictions and instead explore a range of plausible futures, identifying signals, uncertainties, and strategic implications along the way.

The importance of futures thinking was reinforced during remarks by UNESCO Professor Dr. Jonathan Calof, who highlighted the growing need for foresight capabilities within organizations. In an increasingly uncertain and interconnected world, he argued, institutions must develop the ability to anticipate change, navigate complexity, and proactively shape preferred futures rather than simply react to emerging challenges.

The symposium concluded with two thought-provoking panel discussions focused on fairness, equity, and inclusion as design principles for future financial systems. Speakers explored how historical biases, structural inequities, and differing cultural perspectives continue to influence access to financial services. Conversations ranged from algorithmic bias and equitable credit allocation to Indigenous approaches to wealth, governance, and economic participation. Participants emphasized that fairness is not merely a compliance issue or social objective; it is increasingly becoming a strategic imperative for institutions seeking to remain relevant, trusted, and effective in a rapidly changing environment.

Across all sessions, one message emerged clearly: the future of banking is about far more than technology, products, or financial transactions. It is about people. It is about designing systems that enable participation, build trust, create opportunity, and support long-term wellbeing.

As financial institutions navigate accelerating change, the discussions at this symposium demonstrated that fairness, accessibility, and equity are not peripheral considerations. They are foundational to building resilient financial systems capable of serving future generations. Through collaboration, innovation, and foresight, participants explored how the banking sector can become a powerful force for both economic prosperity and societal wellbeing.

The conversations begun at the symposium will continue through the Foresight Lab’s ongoing research, events, and partnerships as it works with organizations across sectors to imagine and shape more inclusive futures.