What the VC’s Courses aim to do

Across all VC’s Courses, there are common learning outcomes we seek to achieve.

Develop literacy around the nature of complex problems

Complex problems have no natural limits and interconnectedness; there are multiple ways that problems can be defined; there are major irreducible unknowns and unknown unknowns; context matters, including real-world constraints (such as historical structures and processes, economic and political circumstances, cultural context); ‘solutions’ can only be partial and temporary

Construct arguments built on sound critical thinking skills

including understanding the nature of logical fallacies; major cognitive biases and de-biasing strategies; simple statistical and quantitative reasoning

Ascertain the positives and negatives of diversity of thought and being

Diversity in a broad sense, including mental models of stakeholders; social, cultural, and natural interests, values, and personalities; embedded structures of power, legitimacy and knowledge

Cultivate effective collaboration and integration across perceived boundaries

including with researchers and experts, people affected by a given problem, decision-makers, and stakeholders with power and vested interests, and with disenfranchised communities

Devise a personal, values-based repertoire for effecting change

including understanding the complexities of change; the effective use of evidence; strategies for managing and mitigating unknowns; experience of where to intervene in a system