‘Learning by doing’ is a unique way of learning that combines intense educational programs with immediate application in the form of teamwork and fieldwork.

The UofN puts learning into action by giving students the opportunity to practice Biblical principles while traveling internationally.

The UofN believes that learning is most valuable in the context of relationships. The strong emphasis the UofN places on building relationships between students and staff provides a secure atmosphere for growth and learning. This is a platform for establishing community, as everyone on campus eats, studies, and lives alongside one another to make the most of every learning opportunity. This philosophy is modeled in the way Jesus and other Biblical figures taught and learned.

The UofN’s live-learn concept is a community learning experience. It is based on the Biblical principle of a body of believers coming together in one spirit and working towards the same goal. Students are often taught to work in groups, such as medical or counseling teams, production and research crews, or traveling performing arts troupes. Teamwork at the UofN means sharing resources, ideas, and talents, and committing to work in unity. By living and learning together, UofN students complete a degree with strong relationships, life-changing memories, and powerful experiences.

The UofN takes a modular approach to education, which allows students to concentrate on one course for an entire term. The modular system provides students with focused time on each topic, allowing them to dive deep into the subject. Typically, lecturers spend a full week teaching in their area of expertise. This allows the students to focus on and absorb one area at a time. 

Another benefit of the modular system is the freedom it provides. It allows students to move between the hundreds of UofN locations during the course of their degree, letting them learn from each unique culture and environment they visit. These experiences give the student a broader understanding of the world and allow them to learn how their unique gifts and knowledge can be applied to the needs of different nations. 

Although the UofN modular system is less common, it can be compared to other university systems. When the innovative modular system is contrasted with a traditional university program, one modular course is equivalent to three or four university courses in one subject area because of the breadth and focus of each course. Each full week of work in a course at the UofN equals one credit upon completion. A full twelve-week module equates to twelve credits.

Modular education is ideally suited to implement the founding principles of the UofN. Therefore, each module is:

• God-centered, placing each subject in the context of “In the beginning, God…”.
• Focused on learning who God is, what He has done, and what He can do through His people.
• Developed to combine scriptural truths with academic subjects.
• Designed to cultivate potential and form a spiritual attitude to respond to God’s call.
• Open-ended, so the creative dynamic of the living God continually moves in the academic programs.
• International in scope, viewpoint, and application.

The UofN’s modular schools are coordinated by school leaders and their staff. School leaders facilitate the visiting resource teachers and often teach part  of the course themselves. They bring continuity and integration to the course, and strive to cultivate high levels of unity and interaction among the students. The staff coordinate extracurricular activities, meet one-on-one with students, assign and evaluate learning experiences, and are available outside of class hours.

Because of the modular system, students benefit from the knowledge of resident and visiting teachers. These instructors come for a week or more to share in their areas of expertise. Some hold positions at colleges or universities outside UofN Kona, while others are authors, pastors, scientists, or business professionals known nationally or internationally for their expertise in an area or subject. This variety in teachers brings richness and diversity to campus life. In addition, all courses have school leaders who function as resident teachers and are available to the students throughout the course. As a bonus, the quality of the lectures is not dependent on any one person.

A key characteristic of the UofN is that it is multicultural. The staff, students, and leaders at the UofN Kona are from all around the world, bringing unique cultural viewpoints. The university values every person from every nation as created in the image of God, and recognizes that each social grouping brings to the table unique expressions of the nature and character of God. Because of this core belief, the UofN strives to keep the door open to all cultures, and seeks  to enroll students from every nation.

The UofN places worship and intercession at the center of all it does, both in and out of the classroom. By acknowledging God as the source of all wisdom and knowledge, staff seek His revelation concerning all matters of life and expect His guidance and direction in everything from course development to individual time with students.

As a “multiplier for missions” each UofN course, seminar, and field assignment is intentionally designed to increase resources for the mission field. One of the university’s distinctions is the close link between classroom training and on-the-field application. Any student who receives a degree from the UofN will have participated in numerous mission opportunities. The university takes the teaching component of the Great Commission seriously and seeks to train teachers to go to the nations practicing the skills of the various areas of the Colleges (Education, Health Care, Science and Technology, etc.). Learning the skills of these professions in the context of a biblical worldview is a way to reach the nations and save the lost.