Systems Thinking in International Health and Sustainable Development

Catalog description

Understanding causality within context is fundamental to relevant, effective, and sustainable evidence-based policy development and program planning. Systems are sets of elements that are joined together for a common purpose or function through feedbacks and other dynamic relationships to produce often complex behavior and sometimes unexpected outcomes when society, organizations, and nature interact in a specific context. System feedbacks help explain why outcomes persist despite external stresses, shocks, and interventions. Applying system thinking approaches can reveal how systems learn, adapt, and transform over time. This course aims to provide a comprehensive overview of systems thinking concepts and applications to equip students with the practical skills and tools necessary to lead systems thinking-informed policy development and program planning for improved.