ISSS Wiki - User contributions [en]

ISSS Conferences

2026-02-18T07:23:52Z

JohnKineman: /* Structure: Plenaries, SIGs, and Workshops */

The Annual Meeting and Conference is a prestigious, long-running conference that serves as a global gathering point for academics, practitioners, researchers, and students working with systems thinking, cybernetics, and complexity science.

===Interdisciplinary Focus===
The conference brings together diverse fields—such as biology, sociology, engineering, management, and ecology—under the common umbrella of systems thinking. Attendees often look at "wholes" rather than specialized parts, aiming to apply this perspective to complex global problems.

===Structure: Plenaries, SIGs, and Workshops===

=====Plenary Sessions=====
Feature keynote speakers addressing the core theme of the year.

=====Special Interest Groups (SIGs)=====
Important part of the conference. These groups cover specific areas like Systemic Risk, Evolutionary Development, Designing Educational Systems, or Spirituality and Systems.

=====Interactive Workshops=====
The ISSS encourages active participation rather than passive listening, often utilizing methods like Systems Design to foster collaboration among attendees.

=====High-Level Themes=====
The themes are typically forward-looking and urgent.
* 2025 (Birmingham, UK): Focuses on "Advancing Together: Systemic Collaboration for Global Challenges," highlighting the built environment and digital transformation.
* 2026 (Cyprus - 70th Anniversary): Focuses on "Elevating Systems Science to Address Humanity's Greatest Challenges," emphasizing AI, General Systems Science, and real-world application.

=====Networking and Community=====
Due to its relatively small size (often ranging from 100 to a few hundred participants), the ISSS annual meeting is known for being highly conversational and nurturing. It is a place where senior pioneers in the field mingle freely with students and newcomers.

=====Evolution of Context=====
While historically academic, the recent meetings place a strong emphasis on systems practice—moving from theoretical models to real-world applications (e.g., sustainability, regenerative development, and policy making).

Number: {{PAGESINCATEGORY:ISSS Annual Conferences}}
{{#categorytree:ISSS Annual Conferences|mode="all" |hideroot=on|mode=pages|style=bold}}

ISSS Conferences

2026-02-18T07:21:25Z

JohnKineman: added descriptions

The Annual Meeting and Conference is a prestigious, long-running conference that serves as a global gathering point for academics, practitioners, researchers, and students working with systems thinking, cybernetics, and complexity science.

===Interdisciplinary Focus===
The conference brings together diverse fields—such as biology, sociology, engineering, management, and ecology—under the common umbrella of systems thinking. Attendees often look at "wholes" rather than specialized parts, aiming to apply this perspective to complex global problems.

===Structure: Plenaries, SIGs, and Workshops===

=====Plenary Sessions=====
Feature keynote speakers addressing the core theme of the year.

=====Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Important part of the conference. These groups cover specific areas like Systemic Risk, Evolutionary Development, Designing Educational Systems, or Spirituality and Systems.

=====Interactive Workshops=====
The ISSS encourages active participation rather than passive listening, often utilizing methods like Systems Design to foster collaboration among attendees.

=====High-Level Themes=====
The themes are typically forward-looking and urgent.
* 2025 (Birmingham, UK): Focuses on "Advancing Together: Systemic Collaboration for Global Challenges," highlighting the built environment and digital transformation.
* 2026 (Cyprus - 70th Anniversary): Focuses on "Elevating Systems Science to Address Humanity's Greatest Challenges," emphasizing AI, General Systems Science, and real-world application.

=====Networking and Community=====
Due to its relatively small size (often ranging from 100 to a few hundred participants), the ISSS annual meeting is known for being highly conversational and nurturing. It is a place where senior pioneers in the field mingle freely with students and newcomers.

=====Evolution of Context=====
While historically academic, the recent meetings place a strong emphasis on systems practice—moving from theoretical models to real-world applications (e.g., sustainability, regenerative development, and policy making).

Number: {{PAGESINCATEGORY:ISSS Annual Conferences}}
{{#categorytree:ISSS Annual Conferences|mode="all" |hideroot=on|mode=pages|style=bold}}

Mini Symposia

2026-02-18T07:09:29Z

JohnKineman: added header information

The International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) organizes Weekly mini-symposia and open mic sessions during their operational season to explore systems science, holistic thinking, and global challenges. These sessions typically feature expert presentations followed by, or in combination with, open discussions, and are held online via Zoom to accommodate a global membership across different time zones.

==Types and Themes of ISSS Mini-Symposia==
The mini-symposia cover a wide range of topics that bridge theory with practical, real-world, and "wicked" challenges. Themes often include:
* Systems Theory & Modeling: Exploring foundational concepts like "systemness" (as opposed to just "systems"), general systems theory, and methodologies for analyzing complex problems.
* Cybernetics & AI: Discussions on the role of cybernetics in addressing 21st-century issues (e.g., "Cybernetics Escapes the Laboratory," "Re-Braiding Cybernetics & AI").
* Global & Environmental Challenges: Topics such as Peaceful Futures (understanding peace as a systemic capability), climate change, and sustainability.
* Social & Organizational Systems: Applying systems thinking to topics like migration, resilient communities, organizational change, and social justice.
* Health & Biological Systems: Systems biology 3.0, translational systems biology, and guidelines for reporting systems approaches in health.
* Education & Practice: Discussions on systems engineering education, "Towards a Common Core for System Science Education," and applying systems thinking in the built environment

==List of all Mini Symposia Pages==
Number: {{PAGESINCATEGORY:Mini Symposia}}
{{#categorytree:Mini Symposia|mode="all" |hideroot=on|mode=pages|style=bold}}