Global Studies Institute Compnay Information - A hands on experiential learning and field studies organization providing programs focused on the Natural Sciences

ABOUT GSI

Global Studies Institute (GSI) is a non-profit organization that was founded in the United States and is now based in the World Heritage Rainforests of Tropical North Queensland, Australia.

Atherton Tablelands waterfall Its conception stemmed from a need to provide students broader opportunities for their learning potential.

Classrooms have their place but we believe that sustained and lasting education comes from 'experiential learning' in the field.

We further believe that the broader and more diverse the experience, the more valuable the learning process; - and as such since it's conception in 1987, GSI is expanding its programs to a number of countries.

Having spent many years between them searching the world, the founders of GSI feel they have not been able to match their Headquarters site

in Australia to any other place with regards to natural beauty, ecological significance, safety and political stability to carry out research and field studies.

Nowhere else do two World Heritage sites (The Great Barrier Reef and the Ancient Gondwanan Rainforests) occur in such proximity.

The courses and programs offered by GSI range immensely from rainforest conservation to marine ecology, taking into its realm, topics such as indigenous studies and archaeology.

The mission of GSI is 'bringing education to life while bringing life into education'. We fulfil this mission by bringing students to the subject in its natural habitat. This allows the learner to experience and appreciate the intricacies that cannot be attained from a textbook or presented by a professor in a classroom. Embracing the underlying principals of active learning, GSI strives to involve the student 'hands on' in the field of their interest. This guarantees the knowledge attained has a longer shelf life in the mind of the individual.

We believe humans learn by doing and that experience is the oldest form of education. The very nature of experiencing while you are learning is the reason GSI takes the classroom to wherever it needs to be in the world. Whether it's the rainforests and coral reefs of Australia or the ancient troglodyte dwellings of Central Turkey, the Global Studies Institute will bring your education to life.

Ranger with possum

HEADQUARTERS

GSI has a 40 acre World Heritage Rainforest property in Lake Eacham, Queensland, Australia as its headquarters.

The property consists of a conference centre and lecture theatre, residences, resource centre, laboratory and various other facilities and resources as outlined below.

Living on site permanently will be the Centre Directors. The students and professors will have access to all of the property and its facilities for the duration of their membership which can be renewed on a yearly basis.

	The conference centre is a multi purpose room, which can be used for lectures, seminars, conferences or any other spacious activity such as group dining.

The resource centre is an area containing the library, a computer room and a classroom where students and professors can utilise to carry out individual study, small group classes or research when on site.

The laboratory is a separate building alongside the Centre where Plant Id. Entomology and other microscopy research can take place.

GSI is presently expanding some of the board-walks to different strata of the canopy for suitable observation when doing canopy research. This Canopy Walk will be a unique feature of our site, as it will provide access to the rainforest canopy to not just public but also individuals with physical disabilities who would otherwise never have the opportunity to experience this unique encounter.

Additional rooms are to be constructed downs stairs from the conference centre to be used for accommodation and supplementary classrooms.

Waterfall and Swimming hole from Outdoor Theatre

There are also trails and paths installed through the rainforest and to the large waterfall for in-situ tutoring and hands-on learning.

MISSION STATEMENT

'To bring education to life' is the mission of GSI.

Networking between institutions, professors and specialists, we provide an effective experiential learning facility to students from all walks of life.

We value

The needs of the student in attaining the most effective learning method.
Environmental awareness while studying its preservation in the field.
Cross-cultural friendships, understanding, cultural awareness, open communication, & positive stewardship of natural resources.

We promote

A creative learning environment.
A safe work environment both in and out-doors.
Ecologically sound work practices.
Free and open communication while conveying respect for others where there are differences.
Continually growing awareness of knowledge and learning on a worldwide basis.
Extending ourselves outside of the constraints of our own cultural boundaries.

GSI's OBJECTIVES

1. To be a market leader in alternate teaching methodologies in the field of ecology and environmental conservation; by

...a) Providing students and teachers with facilities and resources in a field situation that will enable a more realistic and creative learning environment.

...b) Delivering the subject matter through experiential leaning principals of fieldwork and praxis.

...c) Ensuring that graduates having utilised our resources as part of their under-graduate studies are better equipped for the real life application in the workplace.

...d) Constantly customising our active learning techniques to suit each individual need.

2. To provide accredited cources in the fields of Ecology, Conservation & Land Management. As well formulate and deliver courses to specific requirements of students or faculty of other educational institutions.

3. To collabrate with similar thinking schools, colleges and universities around the world. To create a network that continually improves our resource base and facilities.

4. To produce and utilise new technology in providing a means whereby students with physical disabilities or limitations can research and participate in the same activities and courses as their classmates by the year 2004.

5. To apply new technology such as video linking classrooms 'live' to actual field sites around the world, aiming to create interactive classrooms.

6. To provide actual ownership of unique and pristine sites around the world by students and/or faculty, both for preservation purposes and for utilisation by those individuals for their lifelong education.

7. To provide accommodation and conference facilities at our centres around the world for our members, who may be students, professors or interested groups in public and private institutions.

COMPANY PROFILE

Global Studies Institute is a non-profit organization that was founded in the United States and is now based in the World Heritage Rainforests of Tropical North Queensland, Australia.

The Executive Board of directors are: Moni Carlisle, Jared Haddock and Sinan Ogun. The remaining Board of Directors include: Michael Perry and Robert Crosland. Ex officio members of the Board include representatives in each country in the following positions: lawyer, accountant and public representative.

As its headquarters GSI has a 40 acre World Heritage Rainforest property in Lake Eacham, Queensland, Australia. The property consists of a conference centre and lecture theatre, residences, resource centre, laboratory and various other facilities and resources

Our organizational structure treats our market (ie.College and University students and teachers) more as members rather than clients, where the members have a vested interest in the organization and not just its courses. As members they have full access to all of GSI's locations and facilities and have exclusive rights to enrol in GSI's special courses.

In order for someone to take part in our short, long, accredited or non-accredited academic programs they need to be a Member of the Global Studies Institute (GSI). This can take place in two ways; either as an individual student directly with GSI or as part of the Organizational Membership where the institution that they are enrolled with becomes a member of GSI.

Individual Membership fees are US$25 per year or US$50 for 3 years and an Organizational Membership fee is US$2,000 per organization per year with unlimited number of students from that organization named as members.

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE - Under Construction