Map the System is much more than a competition – it is a representation of our core beliefs about social change: that we all have the responsibility to understand problems we want to be part of solving.
The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, invites faculty and staff committed to enhancing systems change education to partner with us to bring Map the System to their students. We have more than 65 institutions participating annually, and would love to have as many of our GBSN partner members as possible join us. GBSN members are eligible for a special rate (see below).
Map the System is a global community of educators, students, and practitioners empowering a new generation of systems thinkers. Through a unique learning programme and competition model, we are transforming the way students understand and approach social change.
How it works:
Each year we partner with institutions worldwide, supporting educators to deliver Map the System at their institutions before inviting top student teams from all over the world to convene for a final competition in Oxford. Through the programme, students work either on their own or in teams to dive deep into a social or environmental topic they are passionate about. Participants learn and utilise the principles of systems thinking as a guiding approach to understanding a complex social or environmental challenge and create visual systems maps as a means to articulate their findings in a way that people can meaningfully understand, share, and learn from.
Why join:
- Join a global movement which values understanding problems first, before proposing solutions. We believe this is the future of social impact education.
- Build global connections with staff, faculty, and students from institutions across the globe – all of whom are passionate about social change.
- Create meaningful opportunities for students by winning cash prizes, making valuable connections, and developing their ideas for impact.
Learn more:
See our Map the System 2025-26 programme brochure for more information, including details on our newly redesigned learning programme and the global competition in Oxford.
At any point, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at mapthesystem@sbs.ox.ac.uk.
Programme cost/GBSN Network Discount
The typical cost for an institution to participate is £4,000 – however, GBSN members receive a subsidised rate of £3,000 to all GBSN members.
How to participate:
Please complete the Map the System Partner Registration Form. To join for 2025-26, institutions must register before 31 January 2026.
We hope you will decide to join the Map the System community, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Map the System Team
Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship
Saïd Business School
University of Oxford
mapthesystem@sbs.ox.ac.uk