American David Livingstone University of Florida
| Motto |
Change the World — According to God’s Word! |
|---|---|
| Type | Public On-line |
| Established | 2009 |
| Location | Miami, Florida, United States |
| Website | www.aufmoodle.org |
The American David Livingstone University of Florida (Russian: Американский Университет Флориды им. Дэвида Ливингстоуна) was founded in January 2009 as a multinational higher educational institution. Courses are taught in English, Russian, and Arabic. The first graduation of students is reported for summer 2012.It is not accredited by any recognized US accrediting agency.
Mission
The aim of the AUF is to provide forum and means for high quality on-line distance learning based on biblical foundations. The target group are English and Russian speaking citizens of the United States and other countries, as well as applicants who only speak one of the two languages and who intend to study in a cross-cultural environment. Since 2013 Arabic speaking students from countries in the Middle East with Christian family background are also recruited.
History
In 2007 several university instructors from the Ukraine, Germany, and the United States met at a round-table on campus of the Christian Open University of Economy and Humanitarian Sciences (HGEU) in Odessa, Ukraine to discuss the country's academic situation. During these conversations the idea was born to create a partnership between foreign universities and the private Christian University HGEU. To find helpful partners in higher education outside of the Ukraine who would understand the specific post-Soviet challenges in academia seemed to turn out to be difficult. After a time of discussing various options and strategies in 2009 an American private non-profit on-line university was founded in Florida — the AUF.[1] The international Board of Trustees chaired by the Ukrainian founder direct the institution. A group of international academic instructors meet regularly as Advisory Board. Dean and Academic Council develop the curriculum and secure educational standards. The President is appointed by the Board of Trustees and accountable to this board. The President's task includes to bundle and apply strategies and goals of the Board of Trustees, the Dean, the Academic Council, and the Advisory Board. He is expected to make these concepts public and to enforce them inside the university infra-structure. Additionally HGEU and AUF agreed 2009 on the "Foundation of a Scientific and Educational Complex" (Russian: Создание научно-образоватөльного комплекса) that made both educational institutions partners with equal rights.[2]
Academic Profile
The AUF provides higher education especially for those emigrants from the former USSR who undergo adaptation hardships in traditional American universities and colleges. Additionally the university offers a variety of programs and degrees for English and Russian speaking citizens of other countries who look for a bilingual university education.According to its own website, it is accredited only by the International Council for Higher Education in Zurich Switzerland.[3] It does not list accreditation by any United States recognized accreding agency. .
Religious Institution
The AUF is named after an Evangelical pioneer and missionary of the 19th century: David Livingstone. The university defines itself as a Christian educational institution and received as such a Letter of exemption concerning the teaching license within the State of Florida., which is valid only for universities not offering secular degrees[4][5] The Ukrainian Evangelical Alliance[6] together with invited Evangelical authorities in the USA functions as overseeing commission for all questions related to the university as a religious institution.
On-line Learning Management
All courses are built on the "Moodle" (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) platform and use version 1.9.16.[7]
Teaching Languages
Most of the educational disciplines are taught in English and Russian, although there are still Russian courses that need to be completed in their English translation. Courses that were originally written in the instructor's native language usually have a higher quality than their translated counterparts. That is specifically true for Russian original coursework that later was translated into English. The students have the freedom of studying in their language of choice. The AUF staff believes that neither the mainly English speaking student, nor the student with Russian background should be disadvantaged. According to the philosophy of the university both teaching languages should have equal rights from the very first moment until the defense of a degree.[8]
The Christian Standpoint
The AUF predominantly focuses on young active Christians, but without discriminating students with other religious convictions. The Evangelical credo is the foundation for what is taught in all faculties.
The AUF graduates have to study Christian disciplines (Fundamentals of Christianity, History of Christianity, Christian Ethics, Christian World View, and Bible Study). General educational disciplines (Philosophy, Sociology and others) are studied in light of a Christian world outlook.
Faculty and Staff
Professors from the USA and Canada own academic credentials usually expected on their campuses. Instructors who post-graduated in the CIS and elsewhere have the degrees and licenses of their countries. Instructors with Slavic background have been trained in methodology of administration under the typically complex conditions of business management in post-Communist countries.
Branches of Study
- BBA in General Business
- BBA in International Management
- BBA in Psychology
- Bachelor of Linguistics
- Bachelor in Theology
Postgraduate Study
The university offers also M.A. and PhD programs.
References
- ↑ The university was filed as a Florida corporation on December 19, 2008 and effective January 2, 2009 with the corporation document number N08000011481 (see picture of front page above).
- ↑ AUF-COUEHS. Agreement about the Foundation of the Scientific and Educational Complex. Miami and Odessa. January 10, 2009.
- ↑ http://www.aufonline.org/pages/about/41
- ↑ Florida Commission for Independent Education, rule 6E-5.001 of the FL Department of Education.
- ↑ "Religious Institution Letter of Exemption". Florida Department of Education. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
- ↑ See letter of the general secretary of the UEA, No.4 from May 25, 2010 (picture above).
- ↑ "Moodle Versions". Moodle. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
- ↑ "Why Choose AUF?". AUF. Retrieved February 3, 2012.