School of Systems

1. Welcome to the School of Systems

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern the relationship between School of Systems (based in Hamburg, Germany; hereinafter “we”, “us”, or “our”) and you (the “Participant” or “you”) regarding our courses, workshops, and community access. By booking a course on https://schoolofsystems.org/, you agree to these Terms.

2. Our Services

The School of Systems provides live online learning experiences focused on systems thinking and design.

  • Format (Courses): Courses typically run for 6 weeks with one live session per week (approx. 1.5–2 hours).
  • Format (Workshops): Workshops usually take place over two days, with each session lasting approximately 2–3 hours.
  • Specific dates and times for each workshop are provided on the respective booking page and supersede general format descriptions.
  • Language: All courses and materials are provided in English.
  • Platforms: We primarily use Google Meet for live sessions and Google Workspace for resources.
  • Group Size: To ensure quality, we aim for 15–20 participants. We require a minimum of 5 participants to run a course.

3. Booking and Contract

  • Reseller Model: Please note that all bookings and payments are processed through Digistore24, who acts as the official reseller of our courses and workshops. When you purchase a service, your contractual partner for the payment process is Digistore24.
  • Registration: Your booking via our website or the Digistore24 checkout is a binding offer to join the course. The contract is finalized once you receive a confirmation email.
  • Payment: Course fees are due immediately upon booking via the payment methods provided by Digistore24. Access to the live sessions and materials is only granted after full payment is received.
  • All prices are subject to applicable VAT as determined by Digistore24 based on the participant’s location.
  • Invoices: You will receive a digital invoice from Digistore24 for every payment. For payment-related inquiries or billing issues, please contact Digistore24 support. For all matters regarding course content, scheduling, and participation, please contact School of Systems directly.

4. Technical Requirements

To participate, you need a computer with a stable internet connection, a webcam, and a microphone. You are responsible for ensuring your tech works. We cannot offer refunds for technical issues on the participant’s side.

We are not liable for service interruptions beyond our control, such as large-scale internet outages or third-party platform (Google Meet) failures, but we will provide alternative dates in such events.

5. Cancellation and Rescheduling

  • Participant Cancellation: We generally do not offer a standard cancellation or refund policy once a course is booked. However, we are human! If you have an emergency or unexpected circumstances, please reach out to us at franziska@schoolofsystems.org. We handle these situations on a private, case-by-case basis.
  • Missing a Session: Since our courses are live and interactive, we do not offer recordings. If you miss a session, please let us know in advance. We’ll do our best to help you catch up, but there is no entitlement to a replacement or refund for missed sessions.
  • Cancellation by Us: If we do not reach the minimum of 5 participants, or if a teacher falls ill or an emergency occurs, we reserve the right to reschedule the course. In this case:
    1. Your payment remains valid for the new dates.
    2. If you cannot make the new dates, you will have the option of a full refund.

6. Right of Withdrawal (EU Consumers only)

If you are a consumer in the EU, you have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.

  • Expiry of the Right: You explicitly agree that we may begin providing the service (the course) before the end of the 14-day withdrawal period. Your right of withdrawal expires completely as soon as the first live session begins or you are given access to course materials.
  • How to withdraw: To exercise this right before the course starts, you must inform us via email at franziska@schoolofsystems.org.

7. No Recordings & Privacy

  • No Recordings: To create a safe and open space for all participants, we do not record the live sessions, and participants are strictly prohibited from recording (video or audio) or taking unauthorized screenshots of the sessions.
  • Privacy: We respect your data. We process your personal information according to our Privacy Policy and only use it to deliver the course experience.

8. Intellectual Property

All materials provided (PDFs, templates, slides, etc.) are the intellectual property of School of Systems or our instructors. They are for your personal use only. You may not share, sell, or redistribute these materials without our written permission.

9. Community & Conduct

We encourage networking and collaboration. We expect all participants to treat each other with respect. We reserve the right to remove anyone from the course or community who displays harassing or harmful behavior, without a refund.

10. Liability

We provide high-quality content, but we cannot guarantee specific professional or financial outcomes. Our liability is limited to the course fee paid, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct as defined by German law.

11. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. If you are a business, the place of jurisdiction is Hamburg.

The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (ODR), which you can find here: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/.

12. Contact

Questions? Reach out to us at franziska@schoolofsystems.org. We’re happy to help!