The University of the Nations is a global network with hundreds of local expressions. With all the exciting variety of culture, language and learning style, there are common academic goals and standards embraced by every leader in the university.
The University of the Nations was born out of Youth With A Mission (YWAM). YWAM is a highly-decentralized international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to presenting the person of Jesus Christ to this generation, to mobilizing as many as possible to help in the task, and to training and equipping believers for their part in fulfilling the Great Commission. As citizens of God’s kingdom, YWAM staff seek to love, worship, and obey their Lord, to love and serve His Body, the Church, and to present the whole Gospel for the whole person throughout the whole world.
A statement of belief unites YWAM workers. “We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired and authoritative word revealing that Jesus Christ is God’s Son; that man is created in God’s image; that God created us to have eternal life through Jesus Christ; that although all men have sinned and come short of God’s glory, God has made salvation possible through the death on the Cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that repentance, faith, love and obedience are fitting responses to God’s initiative of grace towards us; that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and that the Holy Spirit’s power is demonstrated in and through us for the accomplishment of Christ’s last commandment, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)”
University of the Nations: Academics
Schools and seminars occupy students full time, and each full week of learning earns one unit of credit. Students often take time out to do courses while actively working in a ministry, and then return to that ministry afterward. Others decide to complete a full degree in two to four years, traveling to different locations to take courses one by one until the degree requirements are met. Clear goals for success are presented in the courses, and students know how well they have done by the evaluation of their efforts.
But how does a global university ensure high standards? Most local universities are monitored by a government department or by a local independent accrediting agency. U of N courses or degrees are accepted by many universities around the world, but the U of N has not applied for accreditation in any one nation’s system. Just as the U of N is committed to the success and well-being of each student, so the student has responsibilities to the university in choosing their academic path and being a person of integrity. This is a community living and learning together with the world as its classroom!
University of the Nations: History
In 1978 the Pacific & Asia Christian University (PACU) was founded in Kona, Hawaii. PACU was founded to train students as Gospel messengers in all the foundational areas of society (referred to as “mind molders”) worldwide. A development guide was written to create seven colleges and several multi-disciplinary centers that would educate and train students in these subject areas. A master plan for the campus was prepared by a team of planners and architects who carefully considered the best environment for implementing the founding principles of the University.
Schools were developed rapidly in many nations and on six continents. Many of these schools were linked with PACU. However, the regional and local names no longer reflected the worldwide scope and unity of the various higher education activities. The Board of Regents unanimously adopted the new name, University of the Nations (U of N), at their meeting in 1988. The name change took place officially on June 2, 1989.
The U of N is unique in its international missionary training scope with school locations in 101 nations on all continents. Because national accrediting agencies have major differences in their systems, the U of N has not, at present, applied for any one nation’s accreditation. The school staff in U of N Colleges maintain high standards and are committed to excellence. The content of all U of N academic programs matches closely the needs of a Christian in his or her chosen work environment. Courses require serious commitment and diligence. The courses are taught by a combination of experienced UofN staff and visiting experts who are widely recognized in their fields of study.
