We aim to develop help people understand and contribute to transformation by fostering widespread futures literacy.

What we do

We convene co-inquirers to investigate how capabilities to imagine, describe, discuss, and experiment with Planetary Futures enable people to mitigate, adapt, and become more ecologically resilient.

The UNESCO Chair on Learning for Transformation and Planetary Futures develops theories and practices which can foster individual and organisational capabilities to comprehend and interpret ongoing transformation and develop a viable sense of agency towards the future.

We work with people in a wide variety of contexts, sectors, and levels of influence to help them become more aware of how they already are ‘using futures’ and to embark on journeys to learn how to ‘use futures’ in a wider variety of ways so they can – for example – perceive more opportunities to innovate on personal, local and planetary levels.

Our research interests

Our intention is to produce scientific knowledge about how people do and can ‘use futures’ as well as practical tools people, organizations, and governments can apply immediately. We are concerned with making practical and theoretical contributions to scholarly and societal discussions about capabilities, anticipation, sustainability innovation, cultural transformation, and climate action. Our research investigates how groups can develop capabilities for imagining planetary futures (e.g. futures literacy) and use this capability to learn about and contribute to transformation.

Umbrella Research Questions

These questions convey our scientific intentions, while allowing for our projects to take a broader scope of topics:

• RQ1. How do efforts to expand the modes and purposes for imagining planetary futures support learning about potentials for change?
• RQ2. In what ways are capabilities concerned with anticipation part of culture?
• RQ3. What practical value arises from efforts to develop futures literacy in groups working to address climate change?

Who we are

We are part of the Finland Futures Research Centre the futures studies department of the Turku School of Economics at University of Turku.

Chairholder Markku Wilenius is a professor of futures studies and has worked in the field of futures research for about 30 years. His most recent research projects dive deeper into reglobalization, the nature of disruptions in our possible futures, the inner capacities we need to build to connect to the future and  systems-based sustainability challenges we are facing. Markku is a member of Club of Rome and served recently for two years as a Dean of Dubai Future Academy.

Co-chairholder Katriina Siivonen is university lecturer in futures studies and adjunct professor of cultural heritage research. Her work interweaves futures research, cultural heritage research and sustainability science into transdisciplinary approaches. Through more than 25 years, she has developed the study of cultural sustainability transformation and heritage futures into a thematic research area in the society.

Co-Chair Leena Jokinen is Education Manager at Finland Futures Research Centre active in topics of networked corporate foresight and sustainability innovation in the shipbuilding sector. She investigates ways business people can better utilise foresight and develop futures literacy.

Co-Chair Nicolas Balcom Raleigh is an interventionist researcher investigating how futures literacy manifests and how this capability functions in sustainability innovation contexts found in the private sector, governance, and international policymaking. As part of this Chair team from 2020 he led the the FLxDeep consortium which introduced and launched futures literacy development pathways in EIT Climate-KIC. He is president of Foresight Europe Network (2023-2024).

How we synergize

We see our UNESCO Chair as a supporting structure for fostering societal futures literacy, learning for transformation, and planetary sustainability.

Our project portfolio is synergetic with the many activities happening at Finland Futures Research Centre and we seek to inspire interest in the topics of futures literacy, sustainability innovation, heritage futures and cultural sustainability trasnformation. Our projects include researchers and students from our department, faculty, and wider university. We join and lead international consortia.

We are excited for this UNESCO Chair to spark new energetic and productive relationships, across Finland and abroad, which would help people develop their own futures literacy on their own terms and in their own contexts.

Please feel free to contact us. We are happy to tell you more and always interested in discussing cooperation opportunities.