What is Map the System?

Map the System is a learning programme and global competition that nurtures a global community of educators, students, and practitioners committed to applying the principles of systems thinking to complex social and environmental challenges.

The Skoll Centre partners with universities worldwide each year, supporting educators to deliver the Map the System programme at their institutions before inviting top student teams from all over the world to convene in Oxford.

How it works

Partner with the Skoll Centre
  • Institutions register to partner with the Skoll Centre to deliver the Map the System programme to their students.
Leverage the Map the System learning programme
  • Partner institutions receive access to an online learning programme consisting of six self-paced modules that teach students how to use systems thinking to address a social or environmental challenge.
  • This learning programme can be embedded by educators into a for-credit curriculum or offered as an extra-curricular programme.
Hold a Map the System local competition
  • With dedicated support from the Skoll Centre team, educators (faculty or staff) from partner institutions lead the organisation of a local competition on their campus.
  • Students register to take part individually or as part of a team of up to five members and spend the next several months applying the principles of systems thinking to dive deep into a social or environmental topic they are passionate about.
  • As part of the competition, student teams will produce a set of submission materials that include visual, oral, and written components.
  • Each partner institution will select a top team from their competition to participate at the Map the System global competition in Oxford.
Attend the Map the System global competition
  • Each partner institution can send one student team and one educator to the global competition held annually in Oxford at the Saïd Business School.
  • The global competition is a 3-day convening in Oxford where top student teams from all over the world will come together to share and celebrate their research, learn from world-class systems thinking practitioners, participate in workshops, and engage in networking opportunities.

How to participate

The Skoll Centre is thrilled to now be accepting Map the System registrations for the 2024–25 academic year.

A fee of £4,000 per institution covers unlimited access to the learning programme and enables one team plus one educator to attend the global competition. As in the past, an access fund will be available for institutions in need of support.

To join for 2024–25, please complete the registration form or email us at mapthesystem@sbs.ox.ac.uk.

Complete the partner registration form

Previous finalists

Text reads: 'No Longer Daughters.' The cover of Wesleyan's Map the System 2023 report.

First place: Wesleyan University

First place winners of the Map the System Global Final 2023 were 'Bebas' from Wesleyan University. Their project explored the systemic problem of child marriage in Indonesia. 

Research team: Valensia Tandeas, Podchara Boonbhati, Sida Chu 

Problem statement: 

‘Child marriage remains a persistent problem in Indonesia due to the interplay of cultural and religious beliefs, low educational attainment, economic disparity, and inadequate legal frameworks. This research project aims to gain a deeper understanding of the factors driving child marriage in Indonesia. By examining the social, cultural, economic, and legal contexts, this research seeks to identify the root causes of this harmful practice and propose evidence-based solutions for addressing it. Ultimately, this study aims to contribute to the development of policies and programs that empower young girls and address the complex social and economic factors driving child marriages in Indonesia.’

Timeline: 2023
'No Longer Daughters': Child Marriage in Indonesia
Text reads: 'Kafala System in Lebanon'. The cover of AUB's Map the System 2023 report.

Second place: American University of Beirut

Second place was awarded to Team Phoenix from the American University of Beirut whose project explored the impacts and root causes of the rights of migrant workers in Lebanon. 

Research team: Joe Bou Saba, Saad Melhem, Elishammah Nyaba, Ali Rahwanji

Problem statement: 

‘We’ve dug deeper into the Kafala system problem, whereby domestic migrant workers are brought to Lebanon under misleading information to supposedly do simple housework. This situation can sadly enable the Kafeel (sponsor) to abuse the domestic worker, with no laws and regulations to stop him. Our research investigates and evaluates the structures that fosters the operations of the Kafala system in Lebanon. We also explore how these structures play into the systematic violence and abuse experienced by domestic workers.’

Timeline: 2023
Kafala System in Lebanon
Text reads: 'Optimal Aging.' The cover of National Taiwan University's Map the System report.

Joint third place: National Taiwan University

National Taiwan University also placed in joint third place. Their project 'Optimal Ageing' focused on creating an age-friendly environment in Taiwan. 

Research team: Yu-Chun Lin, Pei-Ting Fu, Chia-Wei Lin

Problem statement: 

‘We aim to help the elderly in Taiwan to achieve the goal of “Optimal Aging”, which is from the aspects of physical health, mental health, and social participation. Specifically, we provide a guide for the elderly, caregivers, government officials, and NPOs on how to improve the quality of life for the elderly. We use the iceberg model as the basis for our report, and create a systems map to outline the current structure and mental models of various stakeholders. We also identify potential solutions to create levers of change, and achieve our vision.’

Timeline: 2023
Optimal Ageing
Text reads: 'School Sick'. Vanderbilt University's cover of their Map the System report.

Joint third place: Vanderbilt University

Joint third place was awarded to Team Capybara from Vanderbilt University. Their project highlighted educational support available for children living with chronic diseases in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Research team: Lan Yao, Xingzhi Cheng, Ai Jing

Problem statement: 

‘Our project focuses on the issue of educational support for children with chronic illnesses in Nashville, Tennessee. Combining our literature review and semi-structured interviews with the system thinking models, we sort out the relationship between different stakeholders, find out the perpetuating factors, and identify the root cause of funding shortage at different levels. Based on our findings, our group proposes an iterative two-step model – creating and demonstrating social revenue – for possible transformation in the services provided by school districts, healthcare, research, and mission-driven organisations.’

Timeline: 2023
Educational Support for Children with Chronic Diseases