Research Masterclass | Strategic foresight: A future-oriented methodology for research and practice across disciplines

Traditional research methodologies, such as systematic reviews, case studies, experiments, and ethnographies, are designed to explain what has already happened or what is happening now. But how do we investigate questions that cannot be answered by looking backward? How can we study problems where the data do not yet exist, and where uncertainty is a defining feature of the system? This masterclass seminar introduces strategic foresight - a participatory and action-oriented methodology for exploring multiple plausible futures in order to inform present-day decisions. Unlike forecasting (which extrapolates from past trends) or prediction (which claims to know what will happen), strategic foresight treats uncertainty as a starting point for a rigorous inquiry. It does not ask “What will the future bring?” but rather “What futures are possible, which are plausible, and which do we want to work toward?” The session will draw on a real-world example - a business wargaming simulation conducted with English Studies students (future English teachers and translators) - to illustrate how foresight methods can be adapted across disciplines. You will become familiar with the main principles of strategic foresight, its methods and when to use them, and a practical framework you can immediately apply in your own research or professional practice. By the end of this session, you will have the tools to integrate futures thinking into your work, whether you are exploring the impact of GenAI on your field or anticipating demographic or environmental changes.

Register now

A recording of the session will be sent to those who have registered.

For more information, please contact the Graduate Research School.