Vision, Mission, and Values

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
― Nelson Mandela

The International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonsectarian, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization open to all educators from all nationalities, all institutional types, and all functions, levels, and disciplines within the global educational community. HETL advances the scholarship and practice of teaching and learning in higher education by focusing on four strategic focus areas: 1) global networking and multidisciplinary collaboration, 2) academic research, innovation, and publishing, 3) higher education development and capacity building, and 4) human rights, democracy, and sustainability. The vision of HETL focuses on teaching and learning because the teaching-learning process is the most fundamental process that lies at the core of all educational systems, regardless of institutional level or type or mission or discipline, and because lifelong and lifewide education lies at the heart of social and economic empowerment for all citizens.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING SPACES

Since its founding, HETL has supported the democratization of higher education and has fostered international understanding and cooperation by building participatory spaces for all educators to come together for dialogue and collaboration. Thus, by creating a participatory culture of learning that removes political, social, geographic, and other barriers, HETL aims to give voice to the common needs, concerns, and aspirations shared by the global higher education community and to be a positive force for the development and stability of democratic societies. All educators are invited to participate in HETL’s many activities. As such, HETL is an association of educators, by educators, and for educators.

As a global community for research and innovation in teaching and learning, HETL seeks creative solutions to the toughest challenges confronting higher education and the world. HETL addresses these challenges collaboratively through transformative dialogue, cutting-edge research, and sharing of innovative best practices. A major strength of HETL is its diverse base of global perspectives that fosters creative thinking, meaningful dialogue and engagement, and purposeful action.

OPEN COMMUNICATION

The HETL website gives the association a public presence and serves as a free clearinghouse for a wide array of resources and knowledge on teaching and learning and thus serves as an “academic digital commons”. The Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education disseminates current knowledge and research on teaching and learning by publishing peer-reviewed, scholarly, international, interdisciplinary, interprofessional articles from scholars, researchers, and education thought leaders from around the world.

The aim of all HETL publications is to promote and support the democratization of higher education publishing by inviting educators around the world to participate in HETL’s research and publishing projects. HETL strives to conduct the most innovative and meaningful research and to produce the highest quality books, journals, and other forms of publishing. HETL also convenes international academic conferences that allow educators from around the world to meet face-to-face and dialogue with the world’s top academic leaders and scholars.

HETL has a presence on several communication platforms which helps HETL reach out to and connect with educators from around the world. HETL utilizes the “digital commons” of the internet to cultivate a global participatory culture within higher education.

SHARED VISION

The shared vision of HETL is to advance the scholarship and practice of teaching and learning in higher education.  To achieve its vision, HETL works with and supports individual educators from all institutional types and missions and all types of educational institutions, associations, centers, and other groups committed to improving and transforming teaching and learning, including related areas such as curriculum, assessment, research, service, and community engagement, as well as related leadership areas such as governance, management, policy, strategy, and decision-making at all levels.

“The human experience is all about learning. And education is the primary means by which we as a global society facilitate that learning. Thus, our focus on transforming teaching and learning is not only at the core of the educational process but also at the core of the human experience.”

~ Patrick Blessinger

SHARED MISSION

HETL and EDEN Sign Partnership Agreement

Since its founding, HETL has cultivated the democratization of higher education and HETL has evolved as a global grassroots effort by educators from around the world and as a leading voice on critical issues affecting the global education community. As such, HETL is an international educational association of educators, by educators, and for educators, based on democratic principles of shared governance and committed to addressing the real needs, concerns, and aspirations of the global education community. To bring the HETL vision to reality, the mission of HETL is to develop a global community of higher education professionals who come together to share their knowledge and expertise in teaching and learning. In carrying out this mission, HETL aims to give voice to the common needs, concerns, and aspirations shared by the global higher education community and to society at large. Thus, HETL continues to cultivate the democratization of higher education by working at the nexus of theory, practice, and policy – that point of convergence where transformative action begins.

SHARED CORE VALUES

HETL supports diversity in all its forms. Thus, the shared values of HETL include integrity, collaboration, and inclusion. These values drive a policy of inclusiveness that supports human rights, democratic principles of shared governance, institutional diversification and autonomy, pedagogical pluralism, learning diversity, and academic freedom (freedom of inquiry). Difference is a chief characteristic of a twenty-first century global higher education ecosystem, thus these shared values bind the educational community together, regardless of institutional type or mission. To fulfill these shared values, HETL initiates meaningful activities, projects, and practices that fosters collaboration and capacity building at all levels (individual, group, institutional, national, international) as well as the democratization of higher education through professional, institutional, and higher educational development.

CHIEF AIMS

Through critical research and analysis, HETL continually assesses problems and opportunities that exist within HETL’s strategic focus areas. Based on these findings, HETL then develops conceptual models as well as useful theories that help drive meaningful change within the higher education community. The aim is to maximize strengths and take advantage of opportunities for transformative action. HETL focuses on changes that enable infrastructure development and capacity building that lead to long-term sustainable and meaningful change. HETL sets clear goals and benchmarks that enable progress to be monitored. HETL collaborates with others where needed to help achieve these goals. Strategies are adjusted based on a continuous feedback loop from the community and based on an evaluation of HETL’s outcomes.

To achieve the HETL mission and vision, HETL focuses on four strategic focus areas:

Global Networking and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Academic Research, Innovation, and Publishing

Higher Education Development and Capacity Building

Human Rights, Democracy, and Sustainability

• foster lifelong learning as a basic human right for all
• foster human rights, democratic principles, and sustainability at all levels of education
• foster equity and inclusion at all levels of education

CORE STRATEGIES

To achieve these aims, HETL will implement an integrated set of strategies in the following areas:

Global Networking and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Academic Research, Innovation, and Publishing

Higher Education Development and Capacity Building

Human Rights, Democracy, and Sustainability

• develop new rights, democracy, and sustainability theories and models
• implement leadership development in equity,  inclusion, and justice
• create meaningful policy statements on rights, democracy, and sustainability
• advise institutions and policy-makers on rights, democracy, and sustainability issues

CONTACT US

To submit an article, see the submission Instructions page.

For all other queries, please contact HETL support at [email protected]