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ACADEMICS

The University of the Nations is a global network with hundreds of local expressions. With all the exciting variety of culture, language and learning style, there are common academic goals and standards embraced by every leader in the university.  Schools and seminars occupy students full time, and each full week of learning earns one unit of credit. Students often take time out to do courses while actively working in a ministry, and then return to that ministry afterwards. Others decide to complete a full degree in two to four years, traveling to different locations to take courses one by one until the degree requirements are met. Clear goals for success are presented in the courses, and students know how well they have done by the evaluation of their efforts. But how does a global university ensure high standards? Most local universities are monitored by a government department or by a local independent accrediting agency. UofN courses or degrees are accepted by many universities around the world, but the UofN has not applied for accreditation in any one nation’s system. Just as the UofN is committed to the success and well-being of each student, so the student has responsibilities to the university in choosing their academic path and being a person of integrity. This is a community living and learning together with the world as its classroom!

 

The Discipleship Training School (DTS) including the field assignment is a prerequisite for all other UofN courses. The DTS is the gateway into the seven Colleges/Faculties and various Centres of the UofN. Students may apply to any DTS offered presently at more than 600 locations in over 160 countries and 97 languages around the world.

Once the student has completed the DTS, he or she may take advantage of the wide variety of courses the UofN offers. These courses are designed to equip the student to live and practice Christ’s last command to “make disciples of all nations….teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). A student does not need to be registered in a degree programme to take UofN courses for which he or she is qualified. Students may take schools in any of the various Colleges/Faculties and locations that best fit their ministry goals. To be admitted to a UofN course, an applicant must provide proof of the ability to do university-level coursework in the language in which the course is offered.

This approach to education offers students the flexibility to pursue those areas of study which are beneficial for reaching their life goals. Students are encouraged to be obedient to the call of God as they seek the equipping necessary to pursue their God-given ministries.

All UofN courses are given a special number preceded by a three letter designator which indicates the College/Faculty or Centre/Institute that offers the course. These letters are followed by a three-digit number which indicates the kind of course it is, within the College/Faculty or Centre.

Students will be informed of their grade by the end of the course. The evaluation of a student’s development in a specific course or degree programme is based on many factors. Schools and universities throughout the world use various ways of assessing and communicating a student’s status in his or her programme. However, for long-term record-keeping purposes, a student’s progress is often summarized and recorded by simple letter or number grades. Universities in most nations use generally accepted and documented instructions to translate records and degree information between their institutions. Records for students of the UofN are established and transferred between locations by the system described in this section.

Some UofN locations may choose to use a dual record system — one which is commonly used in their nation and the other described here for communication between UofN locations. Official UofN student records will contain the information outlined in this section

Considerations about Accreditation

The University of the Nations offers courses /practicums/ internships in over 160 nations worldwide. Various accredited institutions throughout the world accept UofN transfer students and credits. UofN is a degree granting institution (Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees), but has not applied for accreditation in any one nation’s educational system.

UofN recognizes the value of accrediting agencies in maintaining predictability in quality of education. Therefore, UofN will complete the application process with a global accrediting association in the near future. However, this association is in its early stages of development, and will have to go through its own processes of recognition.

Accreditation is a more complex process for the UofN for the following reasons.

1. UofN is unique in its international missionary training scope with locations in many countries. Validation by an accrediting agency in one nation could be limiting. With the UofN, students may begin their education in South America, continue it in the United States and complete their UofN degree requirements in Europe. This type of international scope is a challenge for accrediting agencies to validate.

2. UofN is a part of Youth With A Mission (YWAM), an international and multi-denominational missionary network. Normally, accreditation agencies require the separation of the educational institution from the parent organization, thus requiring UofN to separate from YWAM. However, by design, UofN is a part of YWAM and only able to fulfill its purposes as such.

3. The UofN Board of Regents consists of the international and regional coordinators of YWAM global ministries and networks. Accreditation generally requires a partially non-YWAM governing board. However, the present UofN Board of Regents is from a diverse international group, which understands the founding principles of the mission and the university. Since the UofN needs freedom to grow into the fulfillment of the purposes for which it was created, we do not believe that it is right to form a non-YWAM governing board. The UofN does have an International Advisory Board, which consists primarily of non-YWAM representatives.

4. UofN maintains a staff of volunteer missionaries who must raise their own support independent of their positions with the university. Accrediting agencies require salaries for University staff members on the basis that a good solid income helps to ensure stability in the university system and quality in its programmes. The UofN is establishing a “track record” to demonstrate stability through a history of quality long-term staff with independent support. Presently, the UofN has a growing student population internationally, constant construction of new buildings and projects globally, and a growing force of long-term staff members.

5. Our modular approach to education as well as the visiting teacher concept utilized in our schools is generally unknown by accrediting boards. At the present time, much of the academic material provided in the school is presented by long-term staff members in conjunction with visiting speakers, who generally have excellent credentials and high qualifications. Nearly all visiting teachers have extensive international experience and are able to present a broad perspective in their fields of expertise.

6. Our present library resource strategy is different from that required for accreditation standards in a centralized location. We use electronic technology to access most resources, and those resources will ultimately be made available internationally at many UofN training locations.

The UofN is committed to quality education. As a result, UofN courses are now recognized by many institutions of higher learning, Christian and non-Christian. Our students are accepted as transfer students, and they are given transfer credit for those UofN courses which are comparable to the programmes of the receiving institution. Courses do not transfer on a one-for-one basis, but neither do the courses of other universities. Accreditation is not always the main factor in that decision. The major factor is quality of instruction, recognized by the depth and quality of student learning. On that basis, UofN students show commendable strength. An increasing number of institutions are enthusiastic about accepting UofN students. Of course, the lack of accreditation can leave certain professional doors closed. But for many students, this is not an insurmountable problem. It all depends on the career or profession the individual student is pursuing, for what purpose, and in which nation.

The degree student is responsible for knowing all the pertinent content of the UofN catalogue and ensuring that his or her course programme satisfies degree requirements.

Degree students are encouraged to determine a primary location for their studies, and do two to four courses at one UofN location. This practice provides secure relational and academic continuity for the student pursuing a degree.

Students need to be aware that each credit point is based on satisfactory completion of all requirements for one full learning week for the registered school or seminar. The student is responsible for keeping a record of his or her completed coursework and grades. This record should include documentation of exact dates and locations of both lecture phases and field assignments/practicums/ internships. The student should also keep a photocopy of his or her approved degree planning form. This precaution is a personal safeguard as the student travels from location to location.

Most UofN schools have 12 full learning weeks during the standard school term, yielding 12 credits. If for any reason during the standard UofN term of 12 weeks, a school lecture phase lasts only 11 full weeks, then the student may earn a maximum of 11 credits. If a field assignment/practicum/internship lasts 8, 9, 10 or 11 weeks, then the student may earn a maximum of 8, 9, 10 or 11 credits respectively. In some locations the academic coordinators can arrange appropriate registered seminars of 1-3 credits to be taken following the shorter-than- 12-week school. Therefore 12 credits (e.g. 9+3 or 10+2) could still be obtained during a 12-week period. Students need to be aware that when the school lecture phase or field assignment/practicum/internship phase is less than 12 full weeks long, they must assume the responsibility to plan their programmes with additional credit courses or seminars to fulfill degree requirements.

Code of Conduct:

All students enrolling in the UofN are expected to be committed Christians who aim to glorify God in their lives. As a result, faculty and staff have high expectations for each student. The UofN modular education system demands concentrated study and continuous diligence because the academic content of each course or school is equivalent to several traditional university courses.

The development of Christian character is an integral part of our training and a central ongoing goal of the UofN. Consequently, we expect that the conduct of UofN students will be in keeping with biblical standards.

Any compromise of academic integrity, including cheating and plagiarism, any verified violation of biblical standards or of local community-living guidelines at the location where the course takes place and any violation of the law of the land, including visa and immigration procedures, may be considered grounds for disciplinary action or dismissal.