Mission
The mission of World University Consortium is to evolve and promote development of accessible, affordable, quality higher education worldwide based on a human-centered approach that shifts the emphasis from specialized expertise to contextualized knowledge within a trans-disciplinary conceptual framework reflecting the complexity and integration of the real world, from teaching mastery of a field of knowledge to learning that enhances the capacity of students to think and discover knowledge for themselves, from theoretical mastery to acquisition of knowledge, skills and values relevant to each individual’s personal development and career – an educational system better suited to develop the full potentials of social personality and individuality for productive engagement, social welfare and psychological well-being.
Objectives
- Identify global best practices and develop effective global models and strategies to improve accessibility, affordability, quality, innovation and relevance in higher education appropriate to the needs of the 21st century.
- Develop innovative, open learning systems and more effective models that extend the reach of quality higher education to people of all age groups globally.
- Explore new models of online and hybrid delivery systems designed to facilitate learning through teacher-student and student-student interaction.
- Enhance the learning process through research, development and application of advanced instruments for measurement and evaluation of educational processes.
- Promote person-centered approaches that emphasize self-guided learning, critical and original thinking, inspirational forms of instruction, learning to learn, trans-disciplinary contextualized perspectives, learning by teaching and sharing with others, edutainment and experiential learning.
- Develop transcultural and culture-specific methods and content reflecting universal human values.
- Create a worldwide forum where all the stakeholders can meet, interact and create new networks, partnerships and projects.
Activities
- In fulfillment of its mission and objectives, the Consortium may undertake some or all of the following activities:
- Develop an Internet portal on global higher education to provide information and examples of latest developments and best practices in the field of higher education with emphasis on online and hybrid learning models.
- Conduct international conferences to promote new ideas and innovative practices to improve learning in the field of higher education.
- Establish an online World Virtual University (WVU) system in collaboration with partnering organizations to offer new forms of learning, new types of courses, and new methods for interaction, assessment and certification.
- Develop innovative contextualized foundation courses in various subjects that overcome the limitations of fragmented, specialized disciplines prevalent today and, possibly, to also develop a new trans-disciplinary field to study global challenges and opportunities from new perspectives.
- Develop innovative types of courses intended to fill in gaps in the present curriculum and address pressing social needs, such as leadership, human security, multilateralism, global rule of law, ecology, new economy, intercultural communication and diplomacy, sociology of knowledge, community health and psychology, person-centered relations and interpersonal communications, processes of social change and individuals as agents of social change.
- Provide a platform for WAAS Fellows and other individuals and organizations to develop and offer courses providing new perspectives on global issues.
- Create a clearing house where all the stakeholders can post or find all materials and information on education and the protection and promotion of human capital.
- Conduct research on alternative approaches to develop active learning, original thinking, universal values, creativity and individuation in the students.
- Develop, test and promote multi-lingual learning platforms.
- Develop criteria for evaluating online courses and establish an effective evaluation service for online courses.
- Develop and apply research tools and methods in the field of higher education.
- Provide a platform for retired teachers and other retirees to offer their knowledge and expertise to students through formal courses, counseling and mentoring.
- Develop courses specifically designed to impart the knowledge and skills needed to promote entrepreneurship, self-employment and full-employment.
- Provide a platform for experts and experienced professionals in every field to share their knowledge, skills and experience as mentors to students who are yet to enter the workforce.
- Develop inventories and measures of work-related competencies.
- Promote learning communities for acquisition and exchange of vocational knowledge, skills and competencies and for testing, certification and marketing of knowledge and vocational skills.
Registered Office
World University Consortium has its Registered Office at
4225 Solano Avenue, Suite 631,
Napa, CA 94558,
USA.