Professionalising the Cybersystemic Practitioner: Five Decades of STiP Education at the Open University (1971–2025)

ABSTRACT This paper draws on over five decades of experience in educating and developing systems thinking practitioners at the Open University (OU) UK to explore the opportunities and challenges in the professionalisation of systems thinking in practice (STiP). It critically examines historical and contemporary efforts to establish a professional identity within cybersystemic communities, highlighting both successes and pitfalls. Using case studies such as the creation of the Systems Thinking Practitioner Apprentice (STPA) in England and the design of innovative learning systems at the OU, the paper elucidates key issues for educators, professional bodies, employers and emerging professionals. It emphasises the importance of defining the scope of professionalisation, addressing systemic traps and designing future‐oriented learning systems capable of fostering social transformation. Ultimately, the paper advocates for a nuanced understanding of what it means to professionalise within the cybersystemic domain, emphasising the role of systemic sensibility, systems literacy and systems thinking in practice capability in addressing global complex problems.