Abstract for: Using Systems Mapping to Inform the Strategic Planning Process in Higher Education

In this paper, we present a case of a higher education institution where systems mapping was used in parallel to a strategic planning process in order to deepen the understanding of connections among sub-sectors of the system and elicit dynamic insights for decision making and policy implementation. We describe the process used to generate systems maps and how they were communicated, and provide examples of dynamic insights that became available from the mapping sessions. The key objective of this article is to share our experience with the system dynamics community so that we collectively build a repertoire of effective practices contributing to the strategic planning process, particularly in higher education.