EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11 th October 2006

1. Complexity Science and Design: Theory and Education for the Study of Society and Business Jeffrey Johnson Department of Design and Innovation The Open University, UK EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11th October 2006

2. Design and the Science of Complex Systems We live in a synthetic world: buildings, airports, cities, … molecules, cells, drugs, personal medicine … stocks, shares, futures, prices, risks, … Design is the Scienceof Synthetic Systems EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11th October 2006

3. Design and the Science of Complex Systems Almost all systems are designed – synthetic systems Requirements, specification & design solutions co-evolve Design is computationally irreducible process - science too! Designs evolve and co-evolve with their environment Designers are the first scientists of their complex systems Almost all CS scientists want to induce change – designers! … especially those studying society and business. EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11th October 2006

4. Design and the Science of Complex Systems New paradigms for design: Top-down specification of everything is impossible design enabling & directing self-organisation must model multilevel system dynamics Design dynamics: the system is never finished city planning, evolution of products, co-evolution with markets, regulation, … Collaborativedesign as process - model for science? innovation - creation of new ideas & opportunities problem solving at many levels of abstraction creation of vocabulary – representational irreducibility

5. Design and the Science of Complex Systems “You cannot be a competent complex systems scientist if you cannot speak mathematics.” ONCE-CS, European Complex Systems Society, EPSRC

6. Complex Systems Policy for Europe ONCE-CS Living Roadmap for Complex Systems Science: - urgent need to increase its human resources in complex systems research. - urgent and radical programme of education at doctoral and masters levels. Longer term from children in schools to adults participating in life-long learning. In FP7, the creation of an Open University of Complex Systems is a priority. http://complexsystems.lri.fr/Portal/tiki-index.php?page=Living+Roadmap

7. Complex Systems Policy for Europe The scale of the challenge 2006-2014: 1,500 per year 150,000 per year 1,500,000 per year PhD Masters Driving Licence EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11th October 2006

8. Complex Systems Policy for Europe Provision of courses through ONCE-CS & ECSS Advanced introductions: 4 –10 hours Advanced Courses: 50 – 100 hours Planned for 2006: Mathematics for the Science of Complex Systems 2 modules delivered, 2 more in Oct, rest November & Dec Simulation in the Science of Complex Systems Planned for 2007 Cell biology in the Science of Complex Systems Physics for the Science of Complex Systems Business in the science of Complex Systems ???

9. Complex Systems Policy for Europe A European PhD in Complex Systems Science 1. PhD from a recognised European Institution 2. European Rectors PhD 2 supervisors, 2 countries,thesis in foreign language 3. European Complex Systems Society defines core curriculum approves examiners awards the title ‘European PhD in Complex Systems’ (given (1) and (2) are satisfied). EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11th October 2006

10. Summary & Conclusions * design & innovation central to Society & Business * design is the science of the artificial * mathematics is not optional * need a massive programme of CS education * can e-deliver mass low-cost basic CS education - we’re doing it through ONCE-CS, ECSS, EPSRC - the way forward is through sharing & partnerships - big opportunities for institutions across Europe EIASM Academic Council Meeting. Brussels Wednesday 11th October 2006