permaculture

[Living Mandala <livingmandala@livingmandala.com>]

Dear Friends,

Looking to deepen your learning journey with Permaculture, get more 
experience on design and implementation, receive feedback from qualified 
mentors, and build your professional design portfolio?

We are excited to announce the International Diploma of Permaculture Design, 
as well as other new on-line programs launching this September and in January 
2013 through Gaia University.

Join us on Wed, July 25  for a Free Webinar Conversation with Liora Adler - 
co-founder and president of Gaia University on Unleashing the Re-Evolution: 
Gaia University & the International Diploma of Permaculture Design.

More information on both the Free Webinar Conversation and the International 
Diploma of Permaculture Design are below.

Together on Earth,

- The Living Mandala Team


International Diploma of Permaculture Design

With Gaia University

Beginning Dates: Sept 20, 2012 / or Jan 10, 2013 
  
On-Line Education / Planet Earth

For More Information Click Here



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.  

Free Webinar Conversation:
Unleashing the Re-Evolution: Gaia University & the International Diploma of 
Permaculture Design
With Liora Adler - co-founder and president of Gaia University
Wed, July 25, 6 - 7:30pm PDT

Have you ever wondered...

* If proven solutions to educational paralysis, climate change and other 
global crises exist, why, on a personal and societal level, are we not 
implementing them powerfully and effectively?
* Are our current institutions capable of adapting to become partners in the 
great turning, or are they an intractable part of the problem?

During this on-line call with Gaia University co-founder and president Liora 
Adler, we discuss the above questions through a World-Cafe format.
After a time for each group to report on their thinking and discuss the 
results coming out of the various groups, Liora will give a short talk on how 
Gaia University addresses these dilemmas and will also answer questions and 
facilitate further interactive discussion. We will end the call talking about 
the new International Diploma of Applied Permaculture Design.

To Register for the Webinar Conversation Click Here.

About the Diploma - Individual Focus to Global Impact

The International Diploma of Permaculture Design grows out of the original 
action learning Diploma established by the Permaculture Academy of Britain in 
the 1990's (originally intended as an open source design), and has been 
adopted in full or in part by Permaculture Associations and Nodes in Italy, 
Germany, Israel, Spain, Britain and Chile.

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:
To serve those permaculture learners who are not in regions and zones that 
currently offer a functional pathway to the Diploma.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Transformative Action Learning

The International Permaculture Diploma Learning learning design follows the 
generic pattern of all the Diplomas and Pathways in Gaia University by using 
a Transformative Action Learning methodology. Output packets (focused on 
permaculture design work for this diploma) are produced by the associate, 10 
being required for a full Diploma.

Core Elements of Transformative Action Learning
Design Thinking
Learning and Unlearning
Managing Time, Managing Promises
Thinking About Worldviews
Growing Leaderful Communities
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 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.



Integrative EcoSocial Design
Integrative: to emphasize a process and direction (rather than 'integrated', 
a claim too bold, or 'integral' which is rather like a branding)
Ecosocial: to indicate a balance between ecology, land-use and all social and 
economic aspects of human society
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
For More Information on Gaia Universities Degree Programs in Integrative 
EcoSocial Design Click Here.

Living Systems Flexibility - Setting Your Own Pace

Recognizing that life and learning unfolds in a unique way and timeline for 
everyone, you can pursue the International Permaculture Diploma at a pace 
determined by you. There is no limit to how long you can take to complete a 
program. With this style a program year may extend to over 2 or 3 calendar 
years, or happen more quickly. This approach suits busy world changers, 
nomads, international travelers, professionals and barefoot permaculture 
people alike.

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.



Overview of All 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 (DL&F) to extend their repertoire. There is no limit to the 
expansions that can be made through this plug-in approach. 

Gaia University Degrees & Diplomas

Gaia University is currently offerring the following degree programs, 
pathways, diplomas,
Bachlor’s of Science (BSc)
Integrative Ecosocial Design
Master’s of Science (MSc)
Integrative Ecosocial Design
Open Topic
Post-Graduate Diploma
Integrative Ecosocial Design
Open Topic
Diplomas
International Diploma of Permaculture Design
Diploma in Action for Resilience
Learning On-line With Gaia University

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:
The streams of thinking that most directly inform Gaia University’s 
philosophy, systems and methodologies
The nuts and bolts of Gaia University’s organizational and program designs
The advising support network and review processes
Training in the use of our eLearning (GEL) site and documentation requirements
The many ways collaborative alliances can be formed with fellow associates
The two modules 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.
After the orientation course new associates will begin their journey on the 
Permaculture Diploma design projects, mentorship, and documentation through 
their ePortfolio.



Build Your Permaculture Professional ePortfolio

One of the benefits of the Permaculture Diploma is that it provides a 
structured, guided journey to build and showcase your design portfolio as a 
Permaculture Professional. Throughout your Learning Journey you will be 
developing an online ePortfolio to showcase your work.
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.

About Gaia University

Gaia University is a university without walls, a university across borders, 
an un-institution intent on fostering a zestful, purposeful, global community 
of thoughtful learners and unlearners focused on ecological regeneration and 
social justice. We start from the perspective that it is your life, your 
passions, your projects, your vision – and the rapidly changing contexts in 
which they are emerging – that best give rise to what you need to learn and 
how you need to learn it.

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.



A Web of World Changers

Gaia University was founded to contribute significantly to growing a coherent 
global worknet of action-learning, open professionals working in 
full-spectrum guilds as integrative ecosocial designers, facilitators, and 
managers who are leaderfully engaged in a supported, synergistic web of 
all-scale, all-quadrant projects designed for human transformation towards 
ecological regeneration and social justice.

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.

For More Information & Enrollment

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

For More Information and to Enroll Click Here.

Living Mandala
Organizing Education, Events & Initiatives for Personal & Planetary 
Transformation
www.LivingMandala.com
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