Permaculture Accreditation with Gaia University
Speaker: Andy Langford
Thursday 9th June
Format: Talk with slides
Summary
This presentation gives a brief overview to the history and current Permaculture accreditation system and the development of globally recognised degrees in Permaculture, in association with Gaia University
Key Points
- Andy introduced the session by suggesting that this event is a start of functional transition into a new era. Permaculture ‘elders’ need to feel confident that the younger generation will not mess things up before they can retire. (Song: Bill we’re ready, Tony we’re ready……)
- Andy’s work has revolved around Permaculture and sustainability for the past 35 years. Previous to this he worked on organisations design – designing liberating structures which create divergence and energy.
- Many European countries have or are working towards having Permaculture academies which use action learning methodology. Neither the Australian or European Institutes follow this format.
- A brief history of PC (UK) accreditation system was given: In 1995, the Academy was established, shortly after incorporating the Diploma Worknet System. Permaculture Association Britain (PAB) provided regular administrative support from 2000. In 2004, worked commenced to take PC accreditation to a globally recognised bachelors, masters and doctorate level. The vision was “a design for facilitating world accredited learning and unlearning for regenerative development”
- Research in the UK and US resulted in making contact with Revans University, who operated on the action learning system. This was linked with the International Management Centres Association (IMCA) based in the UK, an accrediting body who coincidentally had been seeking to include ecological learning onto their curriculum. ICMA offer action learning in business management degrees and Gaia University has made broker connections to provide these.
- The structure of the study is as follows. The associate (student) learns in their locality in their own language, and will be in a guild of 3-5 people, who are based locally. Guilds will be linked to form action learning sets, who will communicate largely through the internet. Each action learning set has a set advisor.
- Quality Assurance is built into the system throughout. The associate will carry out regular self-assessments, assessments by their peers in the guild and at set advisor level.
- This format formalises the Permaculture accreditation process, but using a unique, learning by doing and low cost approach. To study Permaculture at Masters level, it will cost $5,000 US.
Questions from the floor
Who will want these degrees?
For cultures such as China where they consider degrees as the only route for their children to get out of peasant life, this is ideal. It is also a way of empowering people who do not have degrees but have much practical experience. Entry requirements for the Bachelors degree is experience at operational level. Entry onto the Masters degree in experience of working at operational level. ICMA is a globally recognised accrediting body.
For more information: http://www.gaiauniversity.org/
References: Richard Heinberg, New Society Publishers, 2004.
[Scribe: Julie]