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2008, Living Mandala
creative services by: 360 Degrees

In Association With

Gaia University

Facilitators

Gaia University

International Permaculture Mentors

Permaculture Diploma - Overview

The International Diploma of Permaculture Design (IDPD)  is a Gaia University International program, launched in February of 2012. Its goal is to train and empower the next generation of action-oriented permaculture designers. Through active permaculture mentoring and digital documentation, the IDPD supports real people and real projects to regenerate ecological, economic, and social landscapes while maintaining a high level of quality assurance.

This action-learning educational program is process-oriented, learner-directed, and focused on designing and implementing real-life permaculture projects. Participants in the program (Diploma Candidates) carry out projects in their communities with the support of advisors, mentors and a global network of permaculture practitioners. Diploma candidates document their work online in a shared ePortfolio format so that it can be reviewed by peers & mentors and, as appropriate, released to the public to showcase permaculture to the world. Over a minimum of two years and 10 design projects, Diploma candidates learn the skills of professional permaculture design and earn credits towards their Diploma and, if accepted, towards a one-year BSc or MSc degree with Gaia University in Integrative Ecosocial Design.

The Permacuture Diploma Process in Nutshell

Year 1:

1. •Complete Online Orientation & Elements of Transformative Action Learning Certificate
   

2. •Complete 5 designs and document them on-line in your ePortfolio as Output Packets
   

3. •Advisor to review designs and get learning support.
   

4. •Present your Design ePortfolio either on Gaia Radio or at optional year-end event.
   

Year 2:

1. •Create 5 More Design/Output Packets
   

2. •Receive 5 more reviews throughout your learning journey from peers, Permaculture Mentor, and Gaia U Advisor.
   

3. •Meet with and receive feedback throughout your learning journey from peers, Permaculture Mentor, and Gaia U Advisor to review designs and get learning support.
   

4. •Present your Design ePortfolio either on Gaia Radio or at optional year-end event.
   

5. •Graduate with an International Diploma in Permaculture Design!
   

6. •Apply for 1 Year Gaia U BSc or MSc Degree and continue your learning journey.
   

Learning Design & Curriculum Components

Integrative EcoSocial Design

1. •Integrative: to emphasize a process and direction (rather than 'integrated', a claim too bold, or 'integral' which is rather like a branding)
   

2. •Ecosocial: to indicate a balance between ecology, land-use and all social and economic aspects of human society
   

3. •Design: to underline our primary goal of bringing as many people as possible to a place of empowerment from which they can notice that the behavior, structures and institutions of societies and the people within them are the products of human thinking and efforts. Thus all these aspects of culture are amenable to deconstruction and redesign.
   

Permaculture Design Mentorship

Living Systems Flexibility - Setting Your Own Pace

You can pay your tuition and review in Pay-as-You-Go mode, only engaging when you have the time, motivation and internet access. Even when not 'on-program' you can buy mentoring sessions to support you in developing a successful permaculture livelihood and/or practice.

Alternatively you can scrum down and barrel through the program in a traditional non-stop style in which case a program year corresponds to a calendar year and the Diploma takes a minimum of 2 years. Discounts apply for this approach. You can also switch from one track to another by arrangement.

Individual Focus to Global Impact

While designed to support a unique learning journey tailored to the individual, the International Diploma of Permaculture Design is an open source design that can be used and adapted by any permaculture learning and education node in the world, free of charge!

Core Purposes:

1. •To serve those permaculture learners who are not in regions and zones that currently offer a functional pathway to the Diploma.
   

2. •To serve those permaculture teachers who understand the benefits of continued, supported progression in the Permaculture Design and Teaching community, would like to participate as paid mentors and yet who do not want to service the administration, the portfolio systems and quality assurance oversight necessary for a coherent system.
   

3. •To gather the work of permaculture learners and their mentors into a common e-Portfolio platform (open to the public) where peer and professional review can be facilitated according to clear criteria.
   

4. •To initiate another round of international cooperation between vaious Diploma nodes with a view to establishing a viable Credit Accumulation and Transfer System thus enabling graduates of all nodes to use their Diplomas as a common qualifier.
   

5. •To add additional earning and work-exchange opportunities to the portfolio of experienced permaculture teachers and practitioners as they work at the essential process of mentor permaculture learners.
   

About Gaia University

Gaia University offers a unique and flexible model for learning and unlearning based on self-directed, project-based pathways. With a minimum of required courses set by us, you devote the major part of your energy towards the design, implementation and documentation of real-world projects. We provide a multidimensional support web of advisers and mentors who assist you in the practical development of your projects and encourage you to develop your capacity to think critically about your work and inner processes.

Gaia University Degrees & Diplomas

Gaia University is currently offerring the following degree programs, pathways, diplomas,

1. •Bachlor’s of Science (BSc)
   

2. •Integrative Ecosocial Design
   

3. •Master’s of Science (MSc)
   

4. •Integrative Ecosocial Design
   

5. •Open Topic
   

6. •Post-Graduate Diploma
   

7. •Integrative Ecosocial Design
   

8. •Open Topic
   

9. •Diplomas
   

10. •International Diploma of Permaculture Design
    

11. •Diploma in Action for Resilience
    

More Information

For questions and more information regarding the diploma

e-mail: registrar@gaiauniversity.org

To Register for the Permaculture Diploma Click Here.

Tuition & Fees - Economies of Scale

Gaia University is committed to offering scholarships and lower cost tuition options to students from parts of the world where funding is less available. The fee structure for Gaia University International programs has three basic levels:

Economy 1 (E1): for those coming from countries with relatively high access to funding (USA, most countries of Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and others)

Economy 2 (E2): for those coming from countries of medium access to funding (most countries in Latin America, some countries in Eastern Europe and Asia)

Economy 3 (E3): for those coming from countries with low access to funding (many countries in Africa and Asia).

International Diploma of Permaculture Design Tuition

Tuition for the two-year International Diploma of Permaculture Design may be paid quarterly, annually, or bi-annually, with slight incentives given for paying annually. Tuition costs for E1, E2, and E3  are outlined below.

Ei: Total Cost (2 yrs) - $4,500.00

Annual $2,200.00

Bi-Annual $1,125.00

Quarterly $575.00

E2: Total Cost (2 yrs)- $3,850.00

Annual $1,885.00

Bi-Annual $962.50

Quarterly $495.00

E3: Total Cost (2 yrs) - $1,980.00

Annual $975.00

Bi-Annual $495.00

Quarterly $255.00

Prerequisite: The Permaculture Diploma requires the successful completion of a Permaculture Design Certificate Course. Please be prepared to submit your certificate with your payment upon receipt of your enrollment letter.

To Register for the Permaculture Diploma Click Here.

Overview of Diploma Offerings

Diplomas are a lighter, more flexible and lower cost way to gather and practice skill-flexes than full degrees. Meanwhile they provide many similar advantages such as the opportunity to explore and develop your competencies in the world of real projects. Diplomas, due to their relative lightness, can realistically be stacked together to make up a very broad portfolio. So, for example, the permaculture designer with a deep interest in social development can first hone their permaculture design skills through the International Diploma of Permaculture Design (IDPD) and then add a Diploma in Action for Resilience to extend their repertoire. There is no limit to the expansions that can be made through this plug-in approach.

On-Line Courses & Certificates

It is our experience that a potent dose of select content offered in the context of exciting and participatory online courses gives our associates the inspiration and guidance they need to proactively and constructively engage with their independent action learning work. With the support of their advisors, and 'just in time' learning, associates seek out the additional content for their work to proceed vigorously.

Gaia University online courses are times of community building, deep sharing, strategic planning and concentrated information transfer. The required courses for all programs are:

1. •an initial Learning wtih Gaia U program
   

2. •followed by two consecutive modules: the Life & Career Review and the Learning Intentions and Pathway Design courses supporting the production of your first output packet (OP)
   

3. •a six to twelve week transformative action learning certificate course (TALC) supporting the production of your second OP
   

Learning On-line With Gaia University

Throughout your time with Gaia University you will make frequent use of the Gaia eLearning (GEL) site – a dynamic web-based ecology powered by a collection of open source and free software. Orientation workshops which we call "Learning Online with Gaia U" are the starting point of every Gaia University associates learning journey.

The Orientation introduces new associates to:

1. •The streams of thinking that most directly inform Gaia University’s philosophy, systems and methodologies
   

2. •The nuts and bolts of Gaia University’s organizational and program designs
   

3. •The advising support network and review processes
   

4. •Training in the use of our eLearning (GEL) site and documentation requirements
   

5. •The many ways collaborative alliances can be formed with fellow associates
   

The two elements which take place over 4 weeks are stimulating, fun and highly participatory, consisting of webinars, readings and forum discussions. We believe in the development of whole people, discovery learning and skill-flex development.

Life Review & Learning Design

These two Certificate course modules start with a thorough look backwards to your life and career so far (Life & Career Review). During this phase your story is outlined through a variety of methods such as 'critical incident review' and 'themed stories' some of which are generated through peer to peer interviews. 

In the second module you create your goals and learning intentions that will form a core, guiding template for your following pathway work (Learning Intentions & Pathway Design). We use several life-coaching tools for this work.

Working through these 2 modules will produce all the materials you need to create your first Output Packet and, as this work will be delivered and reviewed online, will also enhance your online and documentation skills.

Transformative Action Learning Certificate (TALC)

The TALC is designed to provide a broad outline of the core threads that are required to weave a flexible fabric of purposeful, ecosocially-oriented, life-long learning pathways that are generally not available elsewhere. The material is drawn from the many members of the Gaia University community, has been thoroughly tested in live situations and now makes its debut online. The TALC is an independent certificate as well a foundational course required for all other Diploma and Degree programs with Gaia U. The Learning Online with Gaia U course is a prerequisite to enrolling in the TALC.

Core Elements of Transformative Action Learning

Below are the core elements of the Transformative Action Learning Certificate, which is the foundation to all degree and diploma programs as well.

1. 1.Design Thinking
   

2. 2.Learning and Unlearning
   

3. 3.Managing Time, Managing Promises
   

4. 4.Thinking About Worldviews
   

5. 5.Growing Leaderful Communities
   

6. 6.Appraising the Current Culture, Making Space for the Future
   

Using these common patterns has some key benefits of which the most substantial is that successful certificate and diploma associates arrive at the end of their program fully prepared to apply for a capstone degree program with Gaia University. Depending on age and experience, this may be either a full Bachelors or Masters degree in Integrative Ecosocial Design or Open Topic.

After the orientation course new associates will begin their journey on their Gaia University degree project work, and have regular contact with their main advisor, peer support group.

Build Your Permaculture Professional ePortfolio

Your ePortfolio is developed on the same platform (Mahara) that is used across Gaia University, and you will have access to all Diploma and Degree associates for social networking and collaborative group working. Mahara includes an easy-to-use export function that means you can, at any time, export your entire portfolio ready for upload to any content management system of your choice.

A Web of World Changers

A primary goal for Gaia University is to co-create, with myriad partners, a thriving ecosocial economy in which millions can make their livings independent of the current ecosocially destructive dominant culture. Additionally, Gaia University is working to support generators and keepers of both non-conventional and conventional knowledge focused on ecosocial regeneration.

How to Register for the IDPD

To enroll in the International Permaculture Diploma you must fill out the on-line application form as well as pay your fees. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be advised of the date of the next Learning online with Gaia U program in an enrollment letter. Register Here.

Prerequisite: The International Diploma in Permaculture Design requires the successful completion of a Permaculture Design Certificate Course.