Causal Layered Analysis Futures Masterclass with Professor Sohail Inayatullah

RAND Australia and the NSC Futures Hub, ANU are pleased to host an intensive one-day Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) Masterclass with renowned futurist Professor Sohail Inayatullah.

Professor Inayatullah is one of the world's foremost experts in futures thinking and the creator of CLA, the defining third generation foresight methodology that moves beyond surface-level trend analysis to examine the deeper forces shaping change. By exploring systemic causes, underlying worldviews, and the myths and metaphors that influence how we understand the world, CLA helps participants develop richer insights into complex issues and identify opportunities for meaningful transformation. CLA can be applied independently or in combination with traditional and alternative foresight approaches.

This interactive masterclass will introduce participants to the theory and practice of CLA, drawing on real-world examples and practical exercises to demonstrate how the methodology can be applied across government, industry, research, and strategy contexts. Case studies on CLA will be drawn from work with national governments, international organizations, global corporations, community groups, cities, and individuals.

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the narratives that shape future possibilities and a powerful tool for engaging with uncertainty, complexity, and long-term change. We encourage individuals and teams to attend who are grappling with urgent and real challenges – focus on your issue or challenge in the workshop and come away with practical insights and actions.

Who this is for:

• Newcomers to foresight who want a rigorous, accessible introduction to futures thinking through one of its most influential methodologies, no prior experience required;

• Experienced futures practitioners seeking to deepen their practical knowledge of foresight approaches and CLA with the creator and leading global expert;

• Strategists, policy advisers, and planners in government who need to move beyond trend analysis and engage with complexity, uncertainty, and long-term change;

• Industry and business leaders, innovation teams, and corporate strategists seeking sharper tools for anticipating disruption and identifying new opportunities; and

• Academics, researchers, and postgraduate students interested in the theory and applied practice of CLA and critical futures studies.

About Professor Sohail Inayatullah

Sohail Inayatullah, a political scientist and futurist, is the UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies at the Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability and Humanity, IIUM, Malaysia. He is also Professor at Tamkang University, Tamsui and Associate, Melbourne Business School, the University of Melbourne. He teaches from www.metafutureschool.org where his courses include Become a Futurist and Personal Futures: the CLA of the Self. He is listed in the top two percent of the world's scientists as measured by the highest impact of citations. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Futures Studies and on the board of editors of numerous journals in the field of Futures Studies. He is author of over 400 book chapter, refereed journal articles, and essays for magazines. His contributions to the field have been recognised internationally, including the ‘Laurel’ award for all-time best futurist from the Shaping Tomorrow Foresight Network and an honorary doctorate from Universiti Sains Malaysia.