FAQs for Educators

Funding for Map the System can come from various sources, both internal and external. The best place to start internally is by asking your program's dean if any funding is available. External sources of funding can be sponsorships or grants.

Join by February 6, 2026 (full-support participation)

• Student coaching supports (including optional 1:1 support touchpoints in Feb–March)

• National student communications and reminders

• MTS Canada programming (including coaching days / national supports for campus finalists)

• National judging supports and standardization

• Access to broader MTS Canada educator calls / community touchpoints

• Educator support from Ashley on running MTS on your campus

• Student registration and submissions (national-level intake and tracking)

Join after February 6, 2026 (limited-support participation)

• Access to broader MTS Canada educator calls / community touchpoints

• Educator support from Ashley on running MTS on your campus

Not available after Feb 6: student coaching, direct national student emails, Student registration and submissions (national-level intake and tracking), and MTS Canada coaching days/programming.

Educators can integrate Map the System into a course in a number of different ways. It can be a course on a specific complex challenge, a complete systems mapping course, or anything in between. The course can have the deliverable of the students submitting to Map the System, or they can do one competent part of it and do the rest independently if they would like to compete. Additionally, you can provide students with templates and worksheets in in-class activities. Visit some resources we collected i.e. guides and templates that could be useful for you.

There are slides, social media and email templates available to help all institutions recruit students. Students are encouraged to have an information session to ask questions and learn about Map the System. The two areas that students often struggle with are finding team members and figuring out a topic both of these can be addressed at a mixer event with get-to-know-you activities and brainstorming of topics. If your institution has participated before it is great to ask MTS alumni to come and speak to students as they can highlight their experience with the competition and also become mentors for future teams. Additionally, if you would like Ashley, Map the System Canada Program Lead, to come and virtual visit a classroom to talk about Map the System you can email her to arrange a time adion@mtroyal.ca

Students can access a wealth of resources by visiting https://www.mapthesystem.ca/resources. These include guidebooks, materials such as videos, webinars, and guides related to systems thinking, and workshops designed to assist them in selecting topics and conducting research. 

Submissions for the Map the System competition are evaluated based on the application of a systems-thinking approach. This assessment includes the use of relevant tools and concepts to research, map, and understand the system, ensuring a holistic view of the complex challenge being addressed. Read the submission guidelines for more details https://www.mapthesystem.ca/submission-guidelines.

The promotion of the campus final can effectively be carried out through a multi-channel approach, utilizing social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and campus media outlets like student newspapers and radio stations.  Educators are provided with visual and poster templates to promote at their campuses. Educators can also partner with student organizations and local organizations and to motivate students to share their experiences using dedicated hashtags to expand the event's visibility. Ensure to tag us and we still share your event.