GULL Highlights 2007 - 2008

Launch event
5 October 2007, National Parliament House, Papua New Guinea

The Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL) is a not-for-profit foundation registered in California, USA. GULL is recognized in perpetuity by the Government of Papua New Guinea & endorsed by other Governments, Leaders & Institutions.

Sir Paulias Matane, Governor General & Head of State, Papua New Guinea; Founding Chancellor, Global University for Lifelong Learning

The majority of the world’s population can only dream about access to education. For those who aspire to develop themselves without pre-qualification (from school or college) or the means of paying fees and related study costs, the barriers to entry are beyond their means.

Sir Michael Somare, PNG Founding Prime Minister and current Prime Minister, Co-Chancellor, GULL

 

GULL start-ups in Papua New Guinea - October, 2007

The World Bank pledges support
Winston Jacob (left) with Benson Ateng, World Bank representative

 

A CEO commits to employee development
Wasantha Kumarasiri (second left) CEO, Air Niugini

 

The PNG public service participates
Department for Rural Developmen

GULL’s mission

GULL is dedicated to enabling YOU to make a difference in OUR 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.

Richard Teare, President, GULL & Co-Founder

GULL seeks government endorsement wherever it supports lifelong learning. In this way, GULL’s global recognition is localized to provide regional and national identity in the form of letters of support from government ministers, deputy ministers and other agencies. The endorsement formats include: official letters, videographs, speeches and testimonials and items from journals, magazines and newspapers.

GULL’s co-founders are Christians and we are passionate about the pressing global need to provide development opportunities for people of all faiths, traditions and cultures and especially for the low paid, disadvantaged groups and the poorest – globally.

Edward Mooney, Chairman, GULL & Co-Founder

 

GULL’s mandate
A credible, practical and affordable option for lifelong learning
Many individuals and organizations are assisting GULL with its mission. The list of endorsements from other Governments, Leaders and Institutions is growing month by month. GULL is also supported by its panel of honorary officers (GULL Elders).

Governments: Example: The GULL Asia team has secured the full support and endorsement of the Government of Malaysia for partnerships with industry and commerce, social and faith-based organizations and other community groups. Endorsements have been received from:

• Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports (16 Jan 08)
• Successive Ministers of Human Resources (30 Jan 08 and 28 Apr 08)
• Deputy Minister of Higher Education (5 Feb 08)
• Chairman, National SME Council of Malaysia (12 Feb 08)
• State Minister of Industrial Development, Sabah (27 Mar 08)
• Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia (15 Jul 08)

Ministry of Youth & Sports - The GULL Asia team meet the Deputy Minister, 16 Jan 08

A strategic role for GULL
Support from Leaders and Institutions

Leaders: Examples: On 5 Aug 08, Sir Adrian Cadbury, a former UK University Chancellor, Chairman of Cadbury Schweppes and Director of the Bank of England (1970-1994) wrote: ‘I believe that action learning is one of the most effective ways of responding to the many challenges faced by developing Nations. In providing lifelong learning opportunities for all it should be possible to secure a more inclusive and equitable role for those who have not benefited from traditional forms of education.’

Sir Adrian Cadbury endorses GULL

On 14 July 08, Dr John Peters, Chief Executive, Emerald Insight wrote: ‘As an action learning practitioner myself, I strongly support GULL’s efforts to establish an alternative paradigm that recognizes the many forms of learning that occur at work and in the community and that facilitates the on-going development of personal and professional skills.’ - Dr John Peters

Institutions: Example: On 28 April 08, Mr John Augustin, Regional General Manager, Value Hospitality Group said: ‘The GULL system offers a different way. I’m happy because many of our people are progressing on the GULL professional Bachelor and Master degree pathways and I can see that their performance in the company has improved – they have raised the bar!’

 

 

GULL Asia: Working with Industry & the Community

GULL Asia’s corporate business school (CBS) launch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 28 April 2008, hosted by the Minister of Human Resources & the Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports.

The Global University for Lifelong Learning provides a customizable system that companies, associations, social and community groups and other organizations can use to create an ‘own brand’ corporate school, academy or university. The purpose is to integrate learning and working in a practical, affordable way so that participants can earn recognized qualifications by addressing organizational challenges and their own learning needs.

Pictured right : The Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports (left) greets the Minister of Human Resources

Fourteen Malaysian organizations who attended the GULL Asia CBS launch aspire to create their own corporate business school using the GULL system:

• Federation of Automobile Workshop Owners’ Association Malaysia (FAWOAM)
• Malaysian Association of Tyre Retreaders & Dealers Societies (MATRDS)
• Selangor and Federal Territory Engineering and Motor Parts Traders Association (EMPTA)
• Master Locksmiths Association of Malaysia
• National SME Council (NASMEC)
• Seventh Day Adventist Corporation (Malaysia) BHD
• Joy to the World Community Services
• SMS Hair Concept & Solution
• Value Hospitality Group
• Tycoon Avenue Holding SDN BHD
• CoE Marketing (M) SDN BHD
• Sime Darby Industrial SDN BHD
• Times Business Academy SDN BHD
• Merpati SDN BHD

Left: Dr Vincent Tang (left) with Pastor Joseph Tang - Centre: Deputy Minister Wee Jeck Seng (left) with Dr Chay Fook Wing - Right: Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam (left) with Dr Anuar Abdullah

Building skills for life
Joy to the World Community Services (JWCS) Malaysia, was founded by Pastor Joseph Tang and his wife in the early 1990s. It began without any funds or resources. Today, JWCS cares for many orphans, the elderly and people with special needs. Joseph will not turn anyone away who is in need of love, shelter and care.

From the outset, Joseph sought to address the funding problem by developing a unique social enterprise model. He calls this ‘TSR’ – training, service and revenue. First comes love and acceptance: Joseph, his family, staff and volunteers try to reflect God’s love in action. Next JWCS focuses on skills – for life and for work so that everyone has a practical role and the youngsters are prepared for life.

JWCS believes in active, practical learning and, via the GULL system we can relate the practical learning outcomes (e.g. a photographic portfolio of the development of skills in jewellery-making) to professional certification at Certificate or Diploma level. As we can SEE the learning outcomes, we don’t need those with learning difficulties to capture their learning in conventional written outputs. The important point is the tangible, trackable evidence and the fact that Joseph’s learners can DEMONSTRATE their learning outcomes.

Pastor Joseph Tang, Founder & Chairman, Joy to the World Community Services

 

Building skills for career development
GULL aims to integrate learning and working

Above: GULL participants at Beaches Resort in the Turks & Caicos Islands

‘The transformation evident in those who commit to an action learning journey is amazing to see. The process renews, enriches and enhances the lives of learners. In practical terms, they achieve more than they imagined possible and this fosters confidence, enthusiasm for learning, a desire for self development and greater professionalism.’ - Dr Shelly-Ann Whitely, GULL Elder (right)

Left: Sir Howard Cooke, Former Governor General of Jamaica endorses GULL

Prospects for 08-09: Celebrating diversity
Eurest Dining Services (EDS) Mid Atlantic Region, USA
‘We have chosen to be part of a huge opportunity which may have far reaching implications for the rest of the Group and I feel very fortunate to be part of this at the ground level.’ - EDS-GULL pilot participant

EDS Mid Atlantic & GULL – pilot groups successfully complete at Professional Bachelor levels 2 & 3, 15 Sep 08.

 

EDS leader comment:
In the ‘top 2’ experiences of my career

‘The GULL pilot was a ‘top 2’ career experience. From a succession planning standpoint, I learnt more about the people in this room in eight short weeks than I probably would have done in eight long years. You did this in your own time and with the purest of intentions – to learn even more.

I see terrific things for each of you – as leaders of tomorrow and as future GULL facilitators so that we can take this process all the way through our entire organization.’ - Nancy Arnett, Vice President, Mid Atlantic Region, EDS, USA

‘I am a passionate supporter of universal access to lifelong learning and I am especially proud of the significant personal and professional advances that our learners are making. I can see that the GULL process is enabling them to make a difference at work and I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead as we cascade the GULL system throughout our company.’ - Dr Mark Maloney, President, Eastern Division, EDS, USA

Mark Maloney, GULL Elder

 

Prospects for 08-09: Supporting the poorest

Compassion International, USA
Compassion International www.compassion.com say that less than 1 percent of the one million children/teenagers they support in 26 countries have the chance of further study (e.g. via local universities).

Compassion would like to provide an alternative, low cost development pathway for the majority using the GULL system.

Compassion: Middle & South America Office

By using the GULL lifelong learning system to support their church partnership network (4600 churches), the aim is to help the churches to manage Compassion projects even more effectively and, to encourage and assist the local church via action learning.

It is envisioned that the second stage will be to utilize GULL more directly in providing on-going development pathways for teenagers as they enter the workplace.

Wolfgang Riedner, Church Partnership Development Director

tearfund, UK

tearfund www.tearfund.org.uk has a ten-year vision is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.

tearfund: West Africa team, Teddington, UK

tearfund is also about connections – connecting people in the UK with people in need around the world in 64 countries with over 500 church-based organizations.

tearfund are interested in using the GULL system to empower:

• Church partnership development
• New partner networks, based on inspiring Christians
• Staff development in the UK and internationally
• The effective implementation of training and resources to assist with action (e.g. in combating climate change)

What do our supporters think?
Some affirmations of support from GULL’s honorary Elders:

‘With my self-confessed besottedness for action learning, you can imagine my delight when I heard about the work of GULL. Here is a newly created, not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to providing action learning opportunities for people in communities underserved by traditional approaches to academic education and workplace training … GULL is the one to watch.’ - Dr Peter Honey

Dr Peter Honey

‘GULL espouses a philosophy that is open-minded enough to encompass learning from life and it advocates an inclusive, practical and applied approach to learning. I firmly believe that GULL has a key role to play in fostering linkages between the nature of work (in a fast-changing world) and professional development.’ - Dr Geoffrey Hallam

‘I believe in action learning and its ability to open up avenues for intellectual development, better lives, spiritual growth and economic advancement worldwide. I am honoured to support the goals and aspirations of GULL in relation to helping the people of the world achieve these ends.’ - Dr Lex Dilworth

Dr Lex Dilworth

 

HOW can GULL help?
We would like to give the GULL system to any organization that is willing to encourage and support lifelong learning – especially for the low paid, disadvantaged groups and the poorest.

We believe that GULL’s vision for a more inclusive world and its mission to enable YOU to make a difference in OUR world is vitally important. All that we ask is that you make a contribution to GULL’s operating costs so that in 2008-09, we can focus our time and attention on supporting the very poorest – on a large scale.

GULL can enable your organization to:

1. Recognize/certify lifelong learning
2. Help your people to ‘step themselves up’
3. Boost skills, confidence and enthusiasm at work
4. Assist with skills transfer (applications focus)
5. Many, many other possibilities!

 

Thank you …It has been an amazing year!

• Sir Paulias Matane, Winston Jacob, John Waingut, Sir Michael Somare and the people and Nation of Papua New Guinea – an extraordinary team and Nation!
• GULL’s Regional Representatives: Especially Vincent Tang, Chay Fook Wing and Anuar Abdullah for your generosity and faith in GULL.
• The GULL Elders – visionaries and believers in the cause. Especially Shelly-Ann Whitely and Mark Maloney for making things happen!
• GULL’s many other supporters … your emails, letters of endorsement and support really are making a difference!
• Edward Mooney – thank you for journeying with me …
• Those who hold the key to enabling GULL to reach the poorest – especially Wolfgang Riedner at Compassion and Martin Jennings at tearfund.
• Those from different traditions and faiths who are praying for GULL and willing us to succeed!

Richard Teare, President, GULL

 

Richard Teare – I couldn’t resist this photo opportunity!

GULL is a not-for-profit foundation registered in California, USA. GULL is recognized by the Government of Papua New Guinea & endorsed by other Governments, Leaders & Institutions.