Map the System
Passionate about making a difference? Dive deep into issues that matter. Applications are now open until January 31, 2026.
Deeply explore an issue that matters to you and share your findings with the world
Map the System is a prestigious global competition spearheaded by the University of Oxford, delivered in collaboration with leading educational institutions worldwide. Unlike traditional pitch competitions, Map the System emphasizes a comprehensive discovery process. Participants from diverse disciplines immerse themselves in a systems-thinking approach, meticulously exploring intricate social or environmental challenges. This deep dive enables them to grasp interconnected factors, leading to a holistic understanding of the issue at hand.
Map the System encourages participants to adopt a learning-first mindset towards social change. Rather than hastily proposing new solutions, the competition emphasizes understanding existing efforts and building upon them. By doing so, participants contribute meaningfully to ongoing dialogues and efforts addressing global challenges.
Why participate?
- Join a global movement committed to systems change.
- Compete for $5,000 in cash prizes in that UCalgary campus finals. The top team from each participating institution will have the opportunity to compete in the Global Finals at University of Oxford in July.
- Learn new innovation skills to address the world’s most pressing issues and bolster your resume.
- Bring awareness to a social or environmental issue you are passionate about.
- Connect with socially-conscious students, researchers, and practitioners from across UCalgary and Canada.
By participating in Map the System, you're not merely entering a competition; you're embarking on a transformative journey that equips you with invaluable skills, networks, and insights to create meaningful change.
The Map the System Canada program is made possible with the support of the ATCO Energy SpaceLab.
Apply now
Applications are now open until January 31, 2026. Open to UCalgary undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent alumni (within 1 year of graduating).
Info Sessions
Curious about the program? We’re hosting two info sessions this year – join us online or in person to get all the details!
Virtual: January 20, 2026
In-person: January 27, 2026
Collaborating with brilliant people who think differently challenged me in the best way. It took more time to reach common ground, but that process made me listen more closely, explain myself better and ultimately think more broadly.
Sunand Kannappan
2025 Map the System Participant
UCalgary Team Places 3rd at Oxford's Map the System Finals
From an idea sparked on campus to a third-place global finish at Oxford, this 2025 UCalgary team showed what’s possible when students bring passion, discipline, and diverse perspectives to a challenge. Their systems-level analysis of surgical wait times earned them a spot among the top teams worldwide.
Their success is a reminder that meaningful change starts with a story, a question, and the courage to look deeper.
Program Timeline
Celebrating Previous Winning Teams
Discover the topics and people behind UCalgary's past Map the System winners. Each story showcases the power of collaboration, deep research, and a commitment to understanding the systems shaping our world.
Map the System crowns UCalgary winners
Winning team will represent our campus at in-person Canadian national finals
Entrepreneurial Thinking Month strikes a chord as startup ideas pour in from across UCalgary campus
Hunter Hub marks milestone month of exploring innovative solutions, pitching concepts, and networking
Delayed Until Death team takes first place in UCalgary’s Map the System challenge
Competing students learn to deeply investigate the system complexity of social problems
UCalgary's Success at Map the System Global Finals 2023
In 2023, UCalgary's Assemble Health team reached the global finals at the University of Oxford, impressing judges and participants with their project on addressing Canada's physician shortage. This achievement not only garnered international recognition but also opened doors for additional funding opportunities, including an MTS Apprenticing with a Problem Grant. Join Map the System and be part of a legacy of impactful research and innovation.
Sometimes we didn’t fully understand each other’s approach, but those moments made us explain more and reconsider our views. It made me a better thinker.
Amy Chen
2025 Map the System Participant
Map the System Alum
First Place: Systemic Barriers to Higher Education
Paige Thompson, Julia Brady, Sam Padron
Second Place: Roots of Instability: Housing Within Black Communities
Rein Gonzales, Rebeca Cesar, Steve Angoluan
Third Place: Challenges Faced by Women in Academia
Cherie Brown
Climate Policy Disproportionate Effects on BIPOC Communities
Jeanine Appiah, Ayesha Khan
Barriers to Affordable Housing in Inglewood, Calgary
Luka Lachner, Chloe Leyao, Gianluca Cross- Bussoli
Bridging the Gap Between Nurse Practitioners and Licensed Practical Nurses
Theo Van der Westhuizen, Dayna Lysak
Egypt’s Wheat Reliance
Zyad Rachdi, Jesse Starchuck, Grayson Moore
Effects of Online Misinformation
Shania Gilmour, Micaela Francese, Joy Wang, Aileen Mulaw
First Place: Family Physician Shortage: A Canadian Healthcare Crisis
Winston Cheung, Tina Wong, and Brandon Pentz
Second Place: Lights Out: A Systems Map Of The Load Shedding Crisis In South Africa
Dayna Lysak and Theo Van der Weshuizen
Third Place: Mental Health in Marginalized Undergraduate Students in Alberta
Emmanuel Amaechi, Sarah Joy Mendoza, andHayley Ngo
Mind Over Media
Yasaman Yeganeh, Shahin Parvar, and Reza Hedayati
Suicide Intervention for Youth in Calgary
Freeha Anjum and Ben Shi
Raising the Public’s Awareness on Parasites
Chenhua Li
Microplastics: A Micro-scale Macro-problem
Hector Bonilla, Mario Cordova, Antonio Vila
Systems Security in Space
Amna Adnan
Unheard Cries: Fragmented Alberta Support for Neurodiverse Families: The team found that more than 9 per cent of children are neurodiverse, and one-third have one or more medical, physical or psychological conditions. They examined the connections and disconnections within and between government and non-government family support across various sectors.
The Global Rare Earth Elements Crisis: The team looked into the issues involving rare earth elements, which are essential in today’s technologies. Their investigation determined the crisis is a result of issues in the health, safety and environment, sociopolitical, and economic sectors.
Impacts of COVID-19 on Education: The team examined the adverse consequences of school closures due to COVID-19, including interrupted learning, social isolation, strain on health-care systems, and gaps in childcare. Underlying factors included policy issues, delivery of services at the school level, and gaps in the education system.
Virtual Information Session
Learn more about Map the System from program lead, Kurt White. Tuesday, January 20, 2026 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM
In-Person Information Session
Learn more about Map the System and get the chance to form teams. Tuesday, January 27, 2026 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Apply today for Map the System
Applications are open until Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Did we miss your question? Email us directly at hunterhub@ucalgary.ca to let us know what you're curious about, and we'll get back to you with answers.
Don't forget to register for our info sessions to learn more about the program.
Map the System is a global competition of University of Oxford's Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, delivered in partnership with educational institutions around the world. From its inception in 2015, the competition challenges participants to use systems thinking as a guiding approach to understanding some of the most complex issues the world faces today.
Visit global Map the System website or learn more about Map the System Canada.
UCalgary undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent alumni (within 1 year) are eligible to participate in UCalgary's Map the System program.
Map the System can be completed by teams of 1 to 5 people. You don't have to join with others, but it is strongly recommended given the workload. Attend our in-person info session if you're looking to meet others interested in the program.
There will be an opportunity to find a team at the in-person info session on January 27. Register here.
As a participant in UCalgary's Map the System program, you will receive:
- Resources
- A guidebook with directions that will move you through the program
- Access to a D2L page with relevant resources such as the Impact Gap Canvas, Systemic Design Toolkit, and Causes Diagram worksheets, and weekly discussion boards that will help you connect with other teams for peer-to-peer support
- Workshops
- Research Methods
- Human-Centred Design
- Systems Mapping
- Storytelling and Communications
- Presentations
- Connections
- Coaches and subject matter experts from the Hunter Hub, Haskayne School of Business, and Innovate Calgary who can help you with your project
- Taylor Family Digital Library librarians
Workshops are highly recommended. They will provide a space for you to develop new knowledge, actively work on your projects and receive feedback, and connect with other participants. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the various tools and methods that are introduced throughout the program.
Participants are expected to take a system thinking approach to their research analysis and present their findings in three ways: visual, written, and verbal.
1. Written submission materials
- Visual systems map(s)
- Written systems analysis (up to 3000 words)
- Detailed bibliography
2. Presentation
The presentation is the part of this competition that most closely mimics a pitch competition, but only insofar as participants are telling a story. Teams will present a visual representation of their systems map.
This program is free to join.
UCalgary finalists will also have a chance to compete for a share of $5,000 in cash prizes awarded at our local competition. The winning UCalgary team will have the opportunity to travel to Oxford for the Global Finals.
Map the System Canada has projects from last year's program available online. Check them out to see what this program can help you achieve.