The Futures journey of Northwestern University started in 2012 with the establishment of the Philippine Center for Foresight Education and Innovation Research (NWU-PHILFORESIGHT). The NWU-PHILFORESIGHT sought to advance the awareness of futures thinking in the Philippines with the view of applying the tools of the discipline for strategic foresight, planning and policy-making. This began humbly with the introduction of futures thinking in the different courses of the University.
In 2014, NWU-PHILFORESIGHT together with the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines and the City Government of Laoag organized “Resilient Cities, Brighter Futures”, a forum-workshop on anticipatory thinking and strategic foresight methods for sustainable city futures. As several natural calamities happen in the country, national and local officials, policy makers and industry leaders saw the importance of acquiring the anticipatory skills needed in providing the systems and infrastructure reducing the loss of life and property brought about by these disasters.
The futures literacy forum-workshop proved so useful that it soon replicated in other parts of the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, establishing the Asia Pacific Foresight Network in 2015 with NWU-PHILFORESIGHT as one of the founding members. Due to this, a conference hosted by Tamkang University in Taiwan was also attended by futurists from the Prime Minister Offices of Singapore and Malaysia, the Office of the President of Korea and faculties from the host University, University of Tehran, University of Sunshine Coast (Australia), Tokyo University and University of Hawaii to strengthen the importance and role of futures thinking.
In the Philippines, NWU-PHILFORESIGHT continues to venture and spread its contributions and learning through futures and anticipatory thinking for advocacy advancements and resolution of pressing issues and concerns. With this, NWU-PHILFORESIGHT also organized an Integrative Foresight Course for Women City Leaders entitled “Transforming Philippine Cities”, held in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur and “The Future of Food and Water and the World in 2025” at the Casino De Español De Manila.
At present, Northwestern University has utilized futures thinking in crafting its long-term development plan through foresight-driven strategic planning. This has enabled the institution to effectively communicate the vision of becoming an autonomous world-class educational institution.
With so much to learn and discover and with so much at stake, it is our hope that futures and anticipatory thinking will become an essential part of all policy and decision-making in the public and private sectors paving our way to a more secure and ideal future.
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