FAQ

GULL’s mission and mandate
Some frequently asked questions and answers about the Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL)

Why was GULL established?
The world needed a practical, holistic, inclusive global system for recognizing and certifying lifelong learning. Why? Because
the majority have few options to enable them to learn and develop. Most do not have the academic qualifications or the
money to enter further or higher education. Given the opportunity, GULL believes that each of us has the innate capacity to
learn what we need to learn in order to lead a more fulfilling life. GULL’s purpose then is to facilitate human capital
development by innovative means – dependent not on technology or standard educational methods, but on the human spirit.

What is GULL’s mission?
GULL is dedicated to enabling YOU (the learner) to make a difference in OUR (shared) world. GULL’s practical approach to
personal and professional development uses action learning to help individuals, communities and organizations to sustain
learning and apply the outcomes. Lifelong learning is for EVERYONE and all are welcome to participate. GULL’s focus is to
reach the majority: the low paid, disadvantaged groups and in economic terms, the world’s poorest people. In so doing,
GULL seeks partnerships with NGOs and other organizations with similar priorities.

Where is GULL based and how does it operate?
GULL is an American university, registered as a not-for-profit foundation in California, USA. GULL’s objective is to operate as
cost effectively as possible and it does not use dedicated premises or other costly infrastructure resources. Its awards are
recognized in perpetuity by the Government of Papua New Guinea & endorsed by other Governments, Leaders & Institutions.
This enables GULL to recognize and certify the vital learning that occurs each and every day at work and in the community.

How does GULL offer a credible alternative?
GULL’s mandate is based on its authority to award Government recognized professional certificates, diplomas and degrees.
Here, the accumulation of credit is entirely linked to practical learning outcomes. This approach ensures that evidence of
learning is realistic and valuable to the learner and to employers and the community.

What is GULL doing to develop globally?
To reach the majority (our global objective) and at the same time, to localize the value of our awards, GULL seeks
Government level endorsement in the regions and countries in which it works. In this respect, GULL’s approach is forging
new ground. For example, the Government of Malaysia has endorsed GULL and its full suite of professional certificates,
diplomas and degrees. This exemplifies our approach – Government recognition (once only, Government of Papua New
Guinea) and endorsement (many times) by other Governments, Leaders and Institutions. For further details, please see the
‘Statement of Recognition’ and the ‘Endorsements’ section at the GULL website.

Why did GULL seek Government recognition for its awards rather than accreditation?
GULL does not work with accrediting bodies nor offer accredited awards. If we did this, we would exclude most of those we
are seeking to serve. This is because prior academic attainment is so often a pre-condition of access to further and higher
education. Furthermore, the cost of accredited study is beyond the financial means of the majority. Instead, GULL provides
a recognized professional award system with pathways to professional Bachelor, Master and Doctor. These pathways enable
people to learn in a natural, holistic and integrated way – at work and in the community – on a lifelong basis.

As GULL is not an academic institution, why is it termed a ‘university’?
The word university is derived from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, meaning community of teachers and
scholars. The oldest universities (like Oxford and Cambridge in the UK) became known as academic institutions because
academia or academe and academy is a collective term for the scientific and cultural community engaged in higher
education and research. Please note though that the term actually originates from Akademeia, ancient Athens, where the
gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a centre for learning in a lifelong quest for wisdom. This is GULL’s purpose too!

How else is GULL different from academic institutions?
GULL provides frameworks and awards in support of lifelong learning. GULL is not itself in the education business and it does
not ‘educate’ people as this requires teachers, pre-determined curriculum, standards and accreditation. Second, GULL does
not use academic terminology - GULL works through representatives (not professors, faculty or teachers). This is because a
contemporary definition of an academic is a person who works as a researcher (and usually a teacher too) at a university or
similar institution in post-secondary (or tertiary) education. He or she is nearly always an advanced degree holder. Further,
in the United States, the term ‘academic’ has become synonymous with that of the job title professor.

What is the rationale for GULL’s professional qualifications system?
The purpose of GULL’s professional qualification framework is to enable our learners to advance in incremental steps and in
so doing, to make a difference in their respective workplaces, communities and beyond. This is an ‘active’ challenge in
which each participant must take responsibility for their own learning journey.

Above all, GULL seeks to facilitate the kind of holistic development that mirrors the diversity and richness of activity in the
workplace, in the community and in life. It is not sufficient to claim technical competence (e.g. ‘I can do the job’): A true
professional in any work or community role should also be an effective role model. Soft skills, good character (as reflected
by attitudes and behaviours) and a professional approach to every task and interaction are vitally important. GULL aims to
facilitate all of these things and to enable our learners to step themselves up and demonstrate professional excellence in
how they think; what they say; what they do and in how they behave.

Why does GULL denote the professional status of its awards on its certificates?
GULL’s awards are Government recognized and reflect the outcomes of active, holistic learning with tangible, trackable
benefits for the learner and for other stakeholders in the learning process. GULL encourages its learners to customize their
own learning journey and this does not require conventional curriculum or formal teacher input. To reflect this and the fact
that GULL’s awards are not designed to articulate with academic awarding bodies and institutions, GULL’s certificates
clearly state that they are professional awards. The only guaranteed way to advance via an academic route is to follow an
academic development route from the outset. However, we believe that GULL offers a practical, inclusive, powerful, low
cost and credible alternative for the majority.

Why did GULL adopt action learning as its core learning process?
To facilitate holistic development, GULL encourages its participants to determine for themselves what they need to learn.
Why is this so important? If he/she is to advance and demonstrate true professionalism in their work, each learner must
honestly assess their own strengths and weaknesses and determine where and how they might improve and who can assist
them (e.g. colleagues, friends, family and others). To enable this level of customization, GULL uses action learning. It is a
process that engages the participant and his/her colleagues and community on a collaborative journey. In our view, nothing
is more powerful than people working together to better themselves, solve problems and create stronger societies for their
families and future generations.

What is action learning?
Action learning occurs when people learn from each other, create their own resources, identify their own problems and form
their own solutions. The world over, this process works – in any culture, language and tradition. The process is so enriching
that every learner is able to identify personal and life transforming outcomes. These commonly include expressions of
enhanced self confidence, self belief, renewal, enthusiasm for learning, a new sense of direction and purpose for career and
life – along with news skills, insights and the sense of being equipped for the future.

What form of quality assurance does GULL use?
GULL uses a quarterly review format to help its system users to track their own progress and identify their own variances for
corrective action, over an annual cycle concluding each year with an annual report and review meeting. To facilitate this,
GULL has developed its own web-based quality assurance (QA) tracking system with reporting formats that are easy to follow
and use. This provides a helpful way of identifying potential fail points, appropriate corrective action and a firm basis for
incremental improvement.

How does GULL verify attainment?
GULL’s representatives organize local external review meetings with independent professional verifiers and a learning review
workshop at GULL certification events. As GULL focuses on outcomes, the learner must provide evidence of learning and
application. If the evidence is incomplete, the learner is required to continue until they have met the requirements.

How does GULL recognize learning outcomes?
GULL’s representatives organize local learning review workshop and certification events for those who have met the
requirements. Here, learning outcomes are shared and certificates are presented. The recipients of GULL awards can opt to
wear GULL’s official cap and gown, providing that all recipients at any given event can afford to purchase a gown from
GULL’s Malaysian supplier (GULL is not able to finance a hire service arrangement). Alternatively, GULL recipients can hire
or buy the official attire of a GULL partner institution (as applicable). GULL’s policy is to leave the decision about the use of
ceremonial attire to its local representatives as this is an important occasion for award recipients and should be conducted
in a way that reflects local preferences. In most cases, recipients of GULL awards will wear formal business or community
attire to reflect the professional nature of the award.

How can GULL help my organization?
GULL’s approach blends working and learning so that these two activities (so often separated) are integrated. Every user
organization (no matter how large or small) is able to take full ownership and utilize the GULL system ‘in-house’ to address
its own unique challenges in keeping with its own ethos, culture and priorities. It does not require specialist qualifications,
skills or resources to implement the GULL system but it does require a commitment to people, to learning and to enhancing
professionalism.

GULL’s systemized learning process is probably the best way to retain and develop people, to help them to sustain their
learning and to foster, facilitate and recognize skills development and attainment. It is an approach that virtually guarantees
high performance at low cost and enables anyone and everyone to participate in a practical way. GULL is ready to provide
you with a practical, systemized approach to lifelong learning that helps people to work more smartly, to feel better about
themselves and to sustain their own active learning and development.


References:

For a detailed explanation of GULL’s mission and mandate, please read the GULL Story (Parts 1-3) at www.gullonline.org
Please see: the ‘About GULL’ section. The first article explains GULL’s mission and mandate, the second outlines GULL’s
pathways to professional qualifications and the third article profiles the role of GULL’s network of representatives.

Explanation of the terms ‘university’ and ‘academia’ draw from the Wikipedia Encyclopedia www.wikipedia.org