At the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, we see foresight as both a practical discipline and an essential mindset. It is not about predicting the future – it is about opening up to alternative plausible futures and understanding the complex systems and forces shaping them. By applying a futures lens to today’s reality, foresight encourages us to challenge current assumptions about how the future may unfold, see beyond short-term pressures, recognise emerging patterns of change, and think in alternatives.
Foresight helps organisations and individuals sharpen their strategic thinking and counter the tendency to believe that the future will merely reflect the past or adhere to a specific vision. But foresight is ultimately about people and perspectives. It thrives on collaboration, diversity, and dialogue. More than anything, it is about achieving reperception: unlocking new ways of seeing the world, and understanding what it means for your strategy, your decisions, and the futures your organisation will be part of.
