SUSTAINABLE AND CONSCIOUSNESS BASED RURAL EDUCATIONALAL AND

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

A MODEL AND ILLUSTRATION

ABSTRACT

This presentation is a report on the modeling and implementation experience for rural educational and economic development, initially targeted and implemented in the USA, Caribbean and West Africa. The model involves practical curriculum content and delivery systems that focus on preparing youth for entrepreneurship, creating their own jobs. The academic model includes supplementary instruction in procedures, exercises and techniques for enhancing the learning capacity of the student, which programs are called Consciousness Based Education. The model includes an incubator environment on site for graduates of the academic programs of the institution, where the youth participant develops concepts for their own enterprise. Further, the model entails, on the site of the institution, a mini-industrial area where the incubator participant may begin their enterprise. The model emphasizes organic sustainable agriculture production and the agribusiness of adding value to the raw materials of local agriculture production. This report will illustrate the evolution and application of this model as it has been experienced in the USA, Caribbean and West Africa. This presentation will suggest that this model may be applicable in the country of India.

Key Words: education, sustainable, agriculture, development, incubator, consciousness

INTRODUCTION

The world today is a population of young people. The youth in our humanity are a dominant

and important fraction of our global population. We must acknowledge and accommodate

this global reality with procedures, policies, practices and opportunities for our human youth,

which recognize this dynamic as opportunity for our greater humanity.

Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State of the United States has recently stated: “There are

underlying dynamics that are affecting young people everywhere – changes in

demographics and technology, economics and politics that are bringing together this unique

moment in history. Young people are at the heart of today’s great strategic opportunities and

challenges, from rebuilding the global economy to combating violent extremism to building

sustainable democracies.”¹

In recent decades the world population has expanded significantly. Much of this growth is in

less developed countries. In Figure One below it is clear to see that much of this population

growth is occurring in less developed countries. In the current world population the number

of people in less developed countries is approximately six times greater than in countries

that are considered more developed. This dynamic dominates our global economy and

politic today. It is essential that we evolve this human distribution for the mutual benefit of

the entire global humanity. It is important the entire globe collectively work together to

address the needs and aspirations of all the people of our world.

Figure One. Population World Wide

(United Nations 2011)

The expansion of the human population is not experienced at the same rate world-wide. For

example, with a current population of 4.3 billion, Asia will likely experience a much smaller

proportional increase than Africa but will still add about 1 billion people by 2050. Much of

Asia's future population growth will be determined by what happens in China and India, two

countries that account for about 60 percent of the region's population.

Within the populations of less developed countries there is a significant fraction of the

populace who are under the age of 30 years. On October 31, 2011, the world population

reached seven billion. Half of this population is under the age of 30, and 1.7 billion are aged

10–24, making this the largest generation in human history.² Young people make up an

especially large share of the population in developing countries, often the largest share. With

more than half of the global population under the age of 30 and a majority residing in

developing countries, young people must be a central focus when developing strategies for

these countries. We need to support, prepare, engage and protect youth today as well as

harness the energy and creativity of young people for positive change.

As globalization increases the demand for higher-level skills, a growing number of young

people in the developing world find themselves without the relevant knowledge to fully

participate in and contribute to economic growth. Our global society needs to improve the

capacities and enable the aspirations of youth so that they can contribute to and benefit from

more stable, democratic, and prosperous communities and nations. There is a need to

organize so that our global youth are better able to access economic and social

opportunities, share in economic growth, live healthy lives, and contribute to household,

community, and national wellbeing. Young people must be given the skills, resources and

opportunities to succeed through quality education, access to health care, adequate

nutrition, supportive families and social networks, and the promise of good jobs. We want

our youth to grow so that they might contribute to their local economic, social, and political

life in a way that lifts countries out of poverty, ensures greater stability and promotes

healthier societies. Alternatively, peace, progress and prosperity are held back when

countries are unable to meet the basic needs of their youth.

NEED FOR EDUCATION

Education is a critical part of the process of serving the evolutionary needs of our global

youth today. Educational opportunity is not equal world-wide. The number of years that

young people participate in the educational process varies around the globe. In Table One

below the disparity between some selected countries is presented.

Table One. School Life Expectancy: expected total number of years of total schooling.

Year Total Men Women

India 2007

10 11 10

China 2009 12 11 12

Netherlands 2009 17 17 17

United States of America 2009 17 16 17

Ethiopia 2010

9 9 8

Brazil 2008 14 14 14 (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)

The more developed countries are keeping their youth in schools for more years than the

less developed countries. In less developed countries, where there is a dominant population

of youth, there is need to expand the school life expectancy.

Further, on the tertiary level, the selected data presented in Table Two below indicates a

considerable difference between the more developed countries and the less developed

countries with respect to those youth who engage in post-secondary educational

opportunities. Table One and especially Table Two suggest a need for our global family to

increase investment in opportunities for education in the less developed countries and

especially to invest in opportunities for our youth to participate in post-secondary levels of

education. Such investments should be strategic, evidenced based and results oriented.

Table Two. Tertiary Education: tertiary enrollment ratio, for five years after secondary

school age.

Country Year % Women % Men

India 2009 13 19

China 2009 25 24

Netherlands 2009 66 59

USA 2009 105 74

Ethiopia 2010 3 8

(Unesco)

Educational investment should build diverse partnerships and foster innovation with and on

behalf of young people. It should empower young people with the tools they need to create

a more prosperous and peaceful world for us all. In its 2007 World Development Report, the

World Bank suggested that developing countries which invest in better education,

healthcare, and job training for their record numbers of young people aged 12 - 24 could

take advantage of their “demographic dividend” to accelerate economic growth and sharply

reduce poverty.³

This presentation will outline a conceptual approach to youth in development and provide

guiding principles and operational practices that are designed to seize opportunity and lead

to sustainable growth and human development for our global youth.

In the coming decades, developing countries have or will have a population age structure

that favors economic growth. For some countries, the window to capitalize on this

opportunity is short, while for others, it is just opening or still a few decades away.

Globalization, technological advances, and the spread of social networking offer new

opportunities for youth to connect and become more active participants in development,

while at the same time making their lives more complex and challenging. Young people are

today’s and tomorrow’s wage earners and entrepreneurs, educators and innovators, health

professionals, political and civic leaders, vital to economic growth and wellbeing.

The current scale of youth underemployment and unemployment is a matter of worldwide

concern. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that over 75 million young

people worldwide are unemployed, and more than a billion jobs must be created in order to

accommodate new workers and reduce unemployment.4 In addition, ‘NEETs – Not

Employed or in Education or Training’ – ILO data for 24 developing economies show an

average NEET rate of 12.4 per cent for young men and 28.1 per cent for young women.

Unemployment rates among young people everywhere are higher than among adults –

averaging nearly three times the rate of the adult workforce.5

The global literacy rate for youth (aged 15 to 24) increased from 83 to 90 percent between

1990 and 2010. Yet in many countries, youth literacy rates are still low, especially for rural

youth and girls.6 In many developing countries, agriculture still remains the heart of the

economy, utilizing up to 70 percent of the labor force. In rural areas there is need to

promote self-employment and entrepreneurship, engage youth productively in agriculture

and value chains, and expand access to services for economic success such as financial

literacy and information communications technology, banking and credit.

In very low income or conflict affected countries, research has found that conventional

notions of ‘jobs’ are often no longer applicable, in either the public or private sector, making it

important to understand the adaptive and coping strategies that enable people to survive,

earn and work in a variety of different ways. This is particularly important for youth, whose

energy and creativity are vital to sustain the kind of small, informal enterprises that fill the

economic vacuum left by lack of infrastructure and large scale investment.7 There is need to

support enterprise evolution in rural areas of developing countries of the globe. Depending

only on the availability of jobs for the academic graduate is not practical. Graduates of

academic programs need opportunities and assistance in creating their own jobs.

There is also a need to increase attention toward the quality of educational systems to

ensure schools teach the information and skills youth need in order to enter the workforce or

participate in civic life. In addition to cognitive skill development, “non-cognitive skills such as

perseverance, motivation, risk aversion, self-esteem and self-control are strongly predictive

of life outcomes.”8

Food security in rural areas of less developed countries is also an issue of concern when

addressing the needs of our youth. Proper nutritional intake is critical to the life of any

student. Providing for this need and engaging the youth through appropriate academic and

enterprise development initiative to become more food self-sufficient is a desirable focus

area of development. It is especially practical to consider the sustainability of the food

production system, to teach about sustainability in the academic life of the youth and to

assist the young adult graduate of any academic program as they begin the process of

applying principles of sustainability in their young adult life.

Research in the USA has indicated that mentors provide important support and guidance for youth and that safe, well run mentoring programs increase youth engagement in positive social relationships, increase academic achievement and school engagement, and contribute to more positive outlooks among youth.9 An incubator environment for an academic student and graduate is an important tool for culturing in the youth the practical skills and planning necessary to approach the concept of entrepreneurship and self-employment. Such enterprise development is also critical, not only for the academic graduate, but through them to the greater society, in that enterprise development is a most important strategic step in increasing the availability of jobs in any local social-economic environment THE MODEL

There are three components to the Model presented herein. Those components can be

listed as follows:

1. Academic – this is a consciousness based educational opportunity for youth.

2. Incubator – this is an environment within the academic setting where the youth gain

opportunity for enterprise planning and development.

3. Mini-Industrial Area – this is a part of the physical site for the academic institution, where

graduates of the academic programs may implement their enterprise development plans.

ACADEMIC INSTITUTION DEVELOPMENT

The strategic structure of the academic fraction of this model may vary, depending on the local needs, including academic focus, legal considerations, financial requirements, cultural considerations, environmental factors and any other practical element that might influence the design of the institution. The structure presented in this presentation is a general summary outline which in this case may serve as a model. The mission of the institution is to provide a progressive, relevant and consciousness based sustainable educational opportunity for youth.

The general goals of the institution may be summarized as follows:

A. To provide an agriculture and agribusiness education to the youth of the area. B. To provide an education about organic agriculture. C. To help the maintain, rejuvenate and develop agriculture economic opportunities. D. To help create enterprise and jobs in agribusiness. E. To help the youth of the area realize their full potential and live in good health, prosperity and well-being. The educational services to be offered shall be made available to multiple sectors of society, including the youth, commercial growers, workers in general, industrial operations and other educational institutions. The general society shall be engaged with the projects long-term activities for greater sustainability in the economy, protection of the environment and a unique educational experience. The academic programs will focus especially on the youth who are in the age range of 15 – 25 years.

The focus in all cases will be establishment of educational experience with an emphasis on that generally recognized in the global family of man as most sustainable and in harmony with nature. The curriculum utilized shall be equal to approximately the first two years of college education in the USA. Focus areas will include various technical organic agriculture topics, procedures and methods to add-value to agricultural production in accordance with organic regulations of the export market customers, organic certification in general, marketing, legal business issues, accounting, computer skills development, sustainable energy systems and building systems, human development topics and procedures to improve mental and physical health, intelligence, creativity, energy and overall well-being of the students. The institution legal stature will favor incorporation as a non-profit corporation in the appropriate jurisdiction. This may be an NGO.

The institution will establish commercial activities, preferably in the area of organic agribusiness, under the umbrella of its legal structure, for the express purpose of generating financial support for the institution and to create a practical environment for students to learn about sustainable organic agribusiness enterprise development and management. The enterprise may engage in private-public relationships with governments. This strategic consideration can be of great value with respect to facility access, commercial enterprise development, land access, financial support in general and as a best-management-practice for an NGO operating under the jurisdiction of a local government. The educational programs offered by the institution shall be delivered as both classroom and

work/study experiences. For example, the student may learn in the classroom about the

requirements for organic certification status of an agricultural product and also visit a

producer or processor or receive audio-video interactions with adults who are practicing

organic farmers and agribusiness operatives. Another example, the student may learn

about distillation technology in the classroom, a method to add value to herbal materials, and

also assist with a project distillation exercise. Additionally, the institution will not depend on

the student as a regular worker in the institutions commercial activities, but it is the intention

to give students practical exposure to the application of what they learn in the classroom

when it is feasible to do so.

The institution shall utilize instructors from the USA, Europe, from the local pool of professional academics as is appropriate for any specific academic focus. Such instructors may engage the project on-site, they may participate by audio/video, streaming online presentation, conference call and other methods. Equipment to accommodate such instruction methods will be accumulated within the institution.

The institution shall source academic content from many academic institutions from around

the world, but especially from Maharishi University of Management in Iowa, USA. The

institution will duplicate to a large degree the approach to teaching common at MUM.

Maharishi University of Management Maharishi University of Management (MUM) is accredited through the Ph.D. level by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Commission of Colleges and Schools and is located in Fairfield Iowa, USA on a 272 acre campus. The University is federally recognized as a 501(C)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States, which means that it is an officially recognized non-profit educational institution.

The University has students from 60 countries, and every continent. Students at MUM are on the block system, where they study one subject at a time. The curriculum is grounded in traditional subjects, but at the same time all students, faculty and staff practice educational programs which cultivate inner creativity and intelligence. There have been over 600 scientific research studies conducted in leading scientific institutions around the world that document how these technologies boosts creativity and learning ability while reducing stress. Undergraduate programs offered at MUM are in the humanities, arts, business, and sciences. MUM's most popular undergraduate program is in Sustainable Living, where the University offers a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Living. Graduate programs include MA, MS, MBA, and Ph.D. programs. The MBA is now offered as a Sustainable MBA, where students learn how to create companies that exhibit a triple bottom line, economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially just. The University is non-sectarian and boasts students from every major religion, whose religious beliefs are appreciated and honored. Celebrations of cultural and religious events are numerous. The City of Fairfield has been a beneficiary of this ethnic charm, with over 15 ethnic restaurants in a town of under 10,000 people. The University engages in important innovative research, particularly in reference to health and prevention. More than $32 million in Federal and other grants have been awarded to date, including more than $20 million from the National Institutes of Health for research in natural medicine. The University is engaged in many international initiatives, especially in developing countries to relieve suffering, through programs to increase creativity, and remove poverty. These programs include revitalizing natural medicine, Vedic organic agriculture, Vedic architecture in tune with natural law, and consciousness-based education. More about the University can be obtained by viewing the website at www.mum.edu.

The institution shall be governed by a Board of Trustees. Trustees are responsible for oversight of the educational institution. They determine the mission of the institution, approve all new degree programs, approve all significant capital expenditures, approve the annual budget, and appoint and evaluate the performance of the President. Members of the Board of Trustees are persons who have the educational needs of the institution as their first priority and have no clear conflict of interest in the operation of the institution, its associated business endeavors, or other related teaching or service facilities.

The educational institution is administered by a President who supervises the Program Directors, who in turn supervise the faculty members. The President hires and discharges all faculty members under the approval of the Board of Trustees. The President may serve as the Chief Academic Officer (variously titled Provost or Dean) until institution is large enough to warrant the hire of a separate individual to that post.

In the initial organization of the academic institution, there will be three degree programs and therefore three program directors. These programs are the AAS in Sustainable Agricultural Science, the AS in Sustainable Agricultural Science, and the AS in Sustainable Agricultural Business. The program directors are responsible for the quality of instruction in their respective programs and for the integrity of their academic program.

The President chairs the Academic Council, whose other members are the Program Directors. The Academic Council is responsible for establishing academic policies and procedures for the institution.

The President also chairs the Administrative Council, whose members include the Registrar, Dean of Admissions, Dean of Students, Treasurer and, if distinct from the President, the Chief Academic Officer. The Administrative Council is responsible for forming and administering the budget of the institution. In the initial stages of institution development, positions may be held by initial staff, such that single individuals will serve multiple roles.

Maharishi University of Management brings to the collaboration a history of 30 years as an

accredited university and strong degree programs in both Sustainable Living and in Business

Administration.

MUM will provide the curriculum for the proposed degree programs and will perform a

quality-control function consistent with its responsibility to validate students’ progress toward

its degrees.

Through this cooperation, the program of agricultural and business education will be

conducted in an environment that fosters the intellectual challenge and spirit of inquiry

appropriate to a community of scholars. Students will have the opportunity to participate in

research and in the applied scholarship of the faculty. The faculty of MUM and the academic

institution will work together in teaching, research, and appropriate internship programs.

The goal of the institution is to fulfill the highest ideals of education. Foremost among these ideals is developing the full potential of consciousness in every student — helping students develop the ability to think and act in accord with natural law and to live fulfilled and successful lives. This fulfills the long-sought goal of education: to produce fully developed individuals, citizens who can fulfill their own aspirations while promoting all good in society.

The institution uses a unique system of higher education, Consciousness-Based Education, that systematically cultures a student’s full creative intelligence, the basis of learning, while at the same time exposes the student to the breadth and depth of academic discipline.

Consciousness-Based Education gives traditional academic study a proper foundation: complete knowledge of consciousness coupled with simple, natural, scientifically validated technologies for developing consciousness. These technologies are based on many methodologies for human development and included in this array are the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs, which are derived from the ancient systems of yoga under the broad field of Vedic Science. See the appendices to this document for a brief summary of scientific study documenting the benefits of Consciousness Based Education methodology in an academic setting.

This integrated approach develops students’ ability to manage their lives successfully, to grow steadily in health, happiness, and wisdom, and to achieve professional success and personal fulfillment.

The educational programs of the institution are designed to fulfill a commitment to four broad areas of responsibility:

Holistic development of students — cultivation of consciousness, mind, body, and

behavior

Academic excellence — training with the most up-to-date knowledge in each discipline

and in the ability to think critically and act effectively and ethically

Scholarship that expands the domains of knowledge and application, expressed in all

four areas of scholarship — discovery, teaching and learning, integration, and

application.

Improved quality of life for the individual, the nation, and the world.

Requirements

The target students are those starting at about ages16 – 20. Applicants must have a high

school diploma indicating completion of the local secondary school system that is recognized

by the local government.

Students will be selected based on their past education and work experience that indicates their ability to learn at the tertiary level in a technical program of study. The admissions process will not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, age, race or religion.

Visiting and Transfer Students

The institution will encourage an exchange of students with Maharishi University of Management in the United States. Students may be accepted in transfer from other colleges.

Financial Aid Counseling and Resources

The institution will guide students toward sources of private and governmental aid to which

they may be entitled or qualified.

All students will have opportunities to apply their knowledge through practical activities in agricultural and agribusiness projects affiliated with the institution. Through these experiences, they will become better prepared to start their own businesses as entrepreneurs or to enter the work force.

Health Services and Personal Counseling

The institution will employ or contract for the services of a nurse who will be available part-time or full-time according to the size of the student body and the needs of the students.

The institution will also train students in effective, scientifically validated methods for managing stress and promoting personal health.

The Learning Environment

There are rules and regulations that govern the student’s experience in the classroom and in

extracurricular activities and programs associated with the institution.

The classroom is to be a safe environment for open inquiry in which the reasoned opinions of faculty and students must be respected.

The Academic Honor Code exists to protect the integrity of the institution’s degrees and the usefulness of the institutions transcripts to the student’s future employers and educational institutions.

Students have the right to know how their grade in any course was computed and to challenge their grade if it was calculated incorrectly or unfairly.

Any adverse action taken against a student may be appealed. The appeal of a grade begins with the instructor who assigned the grade and extends to the Program Director and then to the Provost. The appeal of nonacademic infractions begins with the Dean of Students and extends to the Provost and the President.

Students’ records are confidential and are available only to members of the faculty and administration who have a need to know, unless they are released by the student or as otherwise governed by laws concerning confidentiality.

Educational Programs

The institution shall offer the following degrees:

Associate of Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture Science

Associate of Science in Sustainable Agricultural Science

Associate of Science in Sustainable Agricultural Business

The Associate degree curriculum shall be equivalent to the first two years of college education in the USA or to a Diploma in the British educational system. Focus areas will include various technical topics in organic agriculture, procedures and methods to add value to agricultural production in accordance with organic regulations of the export market customers, organic certification in general, marketing, legal business issues, accounting, computer skills development, sustainable energy systems and building systems, human development topics and procedures to improve mental and physical health, intelligence, creativity, energy and overall well-being of the students.

The educational programs offered by the institution shall be delivered as both classroom and

work/study experiences.

Educational Objectives

A.A.S. versus A.S. Degrees

The Associate of Science (A.S.) degree includes more general education and deeper knowledge of science and mathematics than the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree and may be used as preparation for further study toward a bachelor’s degree. The A.A.S. is intended as a terminal degree, with an emphasis on technical training, though it includes a component of general education.

Structure

Maharishi University of Management requires 128 credits for its bachelor’s degree. The academic programs described herein propose that the requirement for an associate’s degree be a minimum of 64 credits.

The total requirement for the associate’s degree can be met in 4 semesters by a student passing a minimum of 16 credits of course work per semester including 4.0 credits for Research in Consciousness per semester. Thus, it is possible for a student to graduate with the Associate degree in four semesters after receiving their local secondary school diploma. The academic calendar for the institution will consist of two semesters per year

In a typical week, the student has classroom instruction for five hours per day, Monday through Thursday and four hours on Friday, for a total of 24 hours. Depending on the course, the student may work in an occupation related to their course of study for one to four hours per day, depending on the field projects available in the season, of which about half an hour will involve on-the-job instruction. One to three hours per day will be devoted to the institution’s Research in Consciousness program, depending on the level of training of the student in such programs, and one to two hours in the evening will be needed for academic assignments. It is anticipated that the students will have some time during the week for physical exercise (biking, soccer, etc.)

Instruction will be organized on a regular semester system for this program. Under the standard block system used at the MUM, Fairfield, Iowa, USA, campus for full-time study, students take one course at a time over four weeks and earn 4 credits. Students at MUM will have 24 hours per week of classroom study, which implies 96 hours of classroom study in four weeks and would justify 4 semester-hour credits.

A schedule of one course at a time may be too intense for the younger (16+) students, and for vocationally-oriented students it may be too intense a way to take general education courses that are not directly related to their vocational activities.

Each semester will include a two-week module that may be used for the Forest Academy program or for an intensive two-credit course.

General education courses will be taught during the first few semesters of the associate degree programs.

Research in Consciousness

The Research in Consciousness program shall confer 0.5 to 2.0 academic credits per semester. This program is graded on attendance. Attendance is taken morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday. A student must attend 70% of the program sessions to earn the credit.

Students participate in an extended practice of TM Program as Research in Consciousness and attend instructional sessions lead by the faculty during one or two 2-3 day weekends during the semester.

As an alternative to the above, whole day specialized seminars may be employed to facilitate this course of instruction, which collectively integrate to provide the student with optional choices to satisfy this requirement.

Content of the Degree Programs

To receive an Associate degree or Diploma, the student must satisfactorily complete a set of general education requirements and a major degree program.

General Education for the A.A.S. degree

The Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) degree denotes the student’s achievement of proficiency in the application of knowledge within specific trades or industries. The A.A.S. degree has a general education requirement that is somewhat more limited than that of the A.S. degree, so by itself the A.A.S. program does not prepare the student for study toward a Bachelor’s degree. Students who wish to go on to a Bachelor’s program must complete a broader general education requirement.

The general education courses in the Associate degree programs expose the student to an understanding of consciousness and intelligence as it is expressed in mind, body, language, and Nature. They cultivate skills in research and critical thinking and expose the student to numerical, verbal and logical ways of knowing.

The general education requirement for the A.A.S. degree will be 24 credits.

General Education Requirements for the A.S. degree

The Associate of Sciences (A.S.) degree prepares the student for the workplace or for further study toward a bachelor’s degree. The general education requirement of the A.S. degree is therefore somewhat more extensive than that of the AAS degree.

The general education courses in the Associate degree programs expose the student to an understanding of consciousness and intelligence as it is expressed in mind, body, language, and Nature. They cultivate skills in research and critical thinking and expose the student to numerical, verbal and logical ways of knowing.

The general education requirement for the A.S. degree will be 28 credits.

Research in Consciousness (16 credits)

To earn an Associate degree, students in this two-year program must complete at least 16 units of credit in courses with the RC (Research in Consciousness) designation.

Courses in the A.A.S. and A.S. Programs

The A.A.S. and A.S. programs in Sustainable Agriculture are identical for the first two semesters. The A.S. in Sustainable Agricultural Business begins to differ from the A.S. degrees in Semesters 3 and 4.

The A.S. program differs from the A.A.S., in that the A.S. student takes more general education in preparation for the Bachelor's degree, enrolling in additional mathematics and basic science courses, or in the case of the business track, more classes in basic business administration.

A sample curriculum and schedule for each program is given in the table below.

Associate of Applied Science in Sustainable

Agriculture Science

Cr Associate of Science in Sustainable

Agricultural Science

Cr Associate of Science in Sustainable

Agricultural Business

Cr

1

MVS 061 Principles of the Science of Creative Intelligence

SL 021 Introduction to Sustainable Living

Principles of Chemistry (CHM 101) Mathematics (MATH 052 or 153 or

170) FOR 038 Ideal Relationships RC 090 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 2 2

MVS 061 Principles of the Science of Creative Intelligence

SL 021 Introduction to Sustainable Living

Principles of Chemistry (CHM 101) Mathematics (MATH 052 or 153 or

170) FOR 038 Ideal Relationships RC 090 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 2 2

MVS 061 Principles of the Science of Creative Intelligence

SL 021 Introduction to Sustainable Living

Principles of Chemistry (CHM 101) Mathematics (MATH 052 or 153 or

170) FOR 038 Ideal Relationships RC 090 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 2 2

2

College Composition I (WTG 191) Mathematics (MATH 052 or 153 or

170) MGT 041 Computer Technology for

Business SL 038 Intro to Organic Agriculture Biology of Living Systems (BIO 260) Health-Related Fitness (FOR 103) RC 090 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 3 2 2

College Composition I (WTG 191) Mathematics (MATH 052 or 153 or

170) MGT 041 Computer Technology for

Business SL 038 Intro to Organic Agriculture Biology of Living Systems (BIO 260) Health-Related Fitness (FOR 103) RC 090 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 3 2 2

College Composition I (WTG 191) Mathematics (MATH 052 or 153 or

170) MGT 041 Computer Technology for

Business SL 038 Intro to Organic Agriculture Biology of Living Systems (BIO 260) Health-Related Fitness (FOR 103) RC 090 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 3 2 2

3

Plant Biology (BIO 250) Soil Science (BIO 270) Principles of Business Success (MGT 200) Prevention of Illness (FOR 456) RC 390 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 2 2

Mathematics (MATH 153 or 170) Plant Biology (BIO 250) Soil Science (BIO 270) Introduction to Statistics (MGT 314) Prevention of Illness (FOR 456) RC 390 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 2 2

Mathematics (MATH 153 or 170) Principles of Business Success (MGT 200) Principles of Accounting (MGT 215) Introduction to Statistics (MGT 314) Prevention of Illness (FOR 456) RC 390 Research in Consciousness

3 3 3 3 2 2

4

Value-Added Agriculture Project Cultural Integrity (FOR 408) RC 390 Research in Consciousness

and 6 - 8 credits among the following electives:

Permaculture (BIO 341) Organic Floriculture Organic Beekeeping Agricultural Hydraulics Agricultural Mechanics Organic Lawn and Turf Management Organic Food Science Small Engine Repair Introduction to Diesel

6 2 2 3E 2E 2E 2E 2E 2E 2E 2E 2E

Value-Added Agriculture Project Introduction to Organic Chemistry Cultural Integrity (FOR 408) RC 390 Research in Consciousness

and 4 credits among the following electives:

Permaculture (BIO 341) Envir. Planning & Landscape Design

(SL 350) Organic Floriculture Organic Beekeeping Organic Lawn and Turf Management Organic Food Science

6 3 2 2 3E 3E 2E 2E 2E 2E

Value-Added Agriculture Project Principles of Economics (MGT 220) Cultural Integrity (FOR 408) RC 390 Research in Consciousness

and 4 credits among the following electives:

Permaculture (BIO 341) Envir. Planning & Landscape

Design (SL 350) Organic Lawn and Turf Management Organic Food Science

6 3 2 2 3E 3E 2E 2E

Teaching and Evaluation

As a technical college offering the Associate degree on the American system or a Diploma on the British system, the institution will seek instructors who are degreed in their field of teaching at the bachelor’s level or higher. Instructors and teaching assistants will be familiar with the educational objectives of the course or internship and will be prepared for their roles in teaching and evaluation.

Every course taught at the institution is governed by a syllabus that indicates the educational objectives of the course and the methods used to assess students’ achievement of those objectives. The system for the evaluating student achievement throughout the institution employs a variety of measures of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes. The general educational objectives of the institution ensure that the student will develop their skills in problem solving, applied reasoning, interdisciplinary linking and communication.

Curriculum Management

At the completion of every course, the faculty member is expected to write a Closing The Loop (CTL) report to the Program Director. The CTL Report documents students’ learning based on tests, papers, and other projects conducted by the student as well as that indicated in students’ end-of-course surveys.

Program Directors will ideally have at least a master’s degree in agriculture, agricultural science, biological sciences, or business administration.

Each Program Director is responsible to write a program Assessment Report at the end of the academic year. This report considers student learning as evidenced in course work, in internships and fieldwork experiences, and in capstone projects of the program (see Appendix A.) It also considers external measures of student learning such as graduation rates, rates of employment or acceptance into further education, a survey of graduating students, employer evaluations. The report may propose changes to the admission, curriculum, instruction and assessment of the program and requests funding for those changes, as necessary.

Approximately every 4-5 years, each degree program is subject to an in-depth review that is

commissioned by the Chief Academic Officer of the institution.

Number, Qualifications, and Functions of the Faculty

The A.A.S. and A.S. programs in Sustainable Agriculture are identical for the first two

semesters. The proposed curriculum consists of 34 instructional credits in the first year. At a

faculty load of 22 credits per year, this will require 1.5 FTE instructors during the first year

per section of 30 students.

Faculty appointments may be adjunct (part-time). The adjuncts may be professionals and academics with relevant educational qualifications.

The faculty may be sourced from the faculty of the main campus of MUM in Iowa, USA, to teach whole courses or make on-site partial contributions to the courses offered. Because MUM operates on the block schedule, teaching one course at a time for four weeks each, the faculty can easily move between locations for short assignments.

The curriculum will most often be delivered by MUM faculty from MUM utilizing live audio and video connections into the local classroom. Curriculum will also be delivered by recorded lectures coupled with live connections to the faculty person at the end of playing the recorded lecture. All classes will have a local faculty classroom facilitator.

Finances

The institution will employ both short-term and longer-term strategies to support its financial

needs.

The institute may contract with a professional group, such as Partners for World Peace

(www.partnersworldpeace.com) to write grant applications designed to support different

aspects of the institution.

The project will generate from within itself a maximum amount of self-financing from trade available to it from its agribusiness ventures.

The institution will seek donations, grants and other financing instruments from both the private and public sectors in the USA and EU.

The institution will seek financing from international organizations that assist with the development of the agriculture, educational, and human resource considerations of developing countries.

General Facilities

The institution will lease classroom space

The institution may make arrangements with governments and other educational institutions

to utilize facilities as needed to accommodate the delivery of its programs.

The institution will utilize telephone and Internet services in the classrooms to facilitate

delivery of curriculum content.

Library Services

The institution will organize for additional equipment, as needed to support its educational operations. The institution will organize for physical library development.

Maharishi University of Management in the USA will allow students in this joint degree

program to access MUM’s electronic library, which has extensive access to books and

periodical holdings.

Certificate Programs

For students who may not have finished secondary school, for those who have finished

secondary but do not want to take a degree program, for adults who may wish to enhance

their skills, the institution may offer short courses as certificate programs.

Examples of Certificate Courses:

A. Short Courses: 1. Entrepreneurship:

Students study the following topics: a. Types of businesses – products and services. b. Pricing strategies c. Marketing strategies d. Partnerships and corporate structure e. Agreements and contracts f. How to create a business plan g. Starting a business h. Design and execute a market survey. i. Organize a budget j. Exit strategies k. Business ethics l. Business web sites m. Case studies SOURCE: University of Nebraska, USA 2. Develop Communication Skills: Students study the following topics:

a. Types of communications – verbal and written b. Designing a speech c. Study the demonstration of public speaking d. Speech formatting. e. Speech outline methodology f. Body language g. Learn public presence by direct public interaction h. Explore communications careers i. Writing resumes j. Writing cover letters k. Communication tools – power point, projectors, etc. SOURCE: University of Wisconsin, USA 3. Food Science and Safety: Students study the following topics: a. Understanding food production – farm to table b. Sanitation Defined c. Types of food contamination d. Types of food borne illnesses e. Temperature in food preparation f. Types of oils and appropriate uses g. Food storage – temperature, oxidation, other h. Nutritional qualities of foods i. The role of fluids in the diet j. Calorie intake versus physical activity k. Worker safety in the food preparation area l. Diet and obesity m. Controversy related to GMO food sources n. Certified organic food sources o. The food pyramid SOURCE: Cornell University, USA 4. Introduction to Photography: Students study the following topics: a. Types of photography b. Equipment basics c. Light and shadows d. Wide angle lenses e. Telephoto lenses f. Filters g. Flash sources of lighting h. Digital and film i. Darkroom design j. Computer photo processing SOURCE: University of Wisconsin 5. Introduction to Videography: Students study the following topics: a. The video camera b. Digital story telling c. Creating stories on film d. Scripting e. Story boarding f. Video recording g. Editing

h. Adding audio i. Adding text and menus j. Producing final cuts k. Production teams defined l. Practice creating a video presentation SOURCE: Montana State University, USA 6. Bookkeeping Training: The students study the following topics: a. Introduction to bookkeeping b. Debits and credits c. Chart of accounts d. Balance sheet e. Income statement f. Cash flow statement SOURCE: Accounting Coach, LLC, USA 7. Personal Finance Management: The students study the following topics: a. Financial goals – short, medium and long term b. Step down your goals – an exercise

c. Considering wants and needs d. Tracking expenses e. Tools for tracking expenses f. Breaking habits g. Budgeting principles h. Income versus expenses i. Budget worksheet exercises j. What is savings – cash, equity, types of asset investments k. Savings versus financial goals – emergency, home, retirement l. Net worth management SOURCE: University of Idaho, USA

8. Business English: Students study the following topics: a. Meetings b. Presentations c. Telephoning d. Job interviews e. Negotiations f. Socializing g. Travel h. Management i. Communication j. Sales k. Contracts l. Legal m. Freight SOURCE: Business English Pod, Inc. , USA

9. Learning Capacity Development Training: Students study the following topics: a. What is cognitive capacity b. Introduction to brain coherence c. Brain coherence and mental ability

d. Brain coherence and health e. Brain coherence and social behavior f. Brain coherence development – transcending experience g. Brain coherence development – exercise one h. Brain coherence development – exercise two i. Brain coherence development – exercise three

SOURCE: Maharishi European Research University, The Netherlands 10. AGRICULTURE:

Introduction to Organic Agriculture: Introduces the student to the complete scope of the organic agriculture industry. (upper secondary or post- secondary school students)

Basic Beekeeping: teaches the beginning steps to beekeeping. Those interested will learn about bees and the colonies in which they live. It explains the reasons for keeping bees and tells how to get started in beekeeping projects. (secondary school students or higher)

Advanced Beekeeping: is the sequel to the Basic Beekeeping course for students wishing to continue in this project (ages 14 and up). This manual will help the individual advance their management of beekeeping. (secondary school students or higher)

Practical Horticulture: explores the horticulture business, designing a plant experiment, making a site analysis and landscape plan and how to make a flower arrangement. (secondary school students or higher)

Basic Gardening I: teaches students about improving soil, succession planting, growing herbs, broadcast planting, pH levels, photosynthesis, cross-pollinating, insect damage, teaching, irrigation, record keeping, food preservation, and horticulture careers. (secondary students or higher)

Basic Gardening II: teaches students about intercropping, a double crop, using a computer to plan, pollution, hydroponics, plant diseases, fertilizers/nutrient deficiencies, pest control, and keeping financial records. (secondary students or higher)

Mowing for Money: teaches students about the basics of operating an entrepreneurial lawn care business. Topics include information on tools needed, safety practices, lawn care, mowing and business basics. (secondary school students or higher)

Veterinary Science I: introduces youth to the normal animal, basic anatomy and systems, elementary principles of disease and careers with animals. Further examines health and disease topics, normal and abnormal conditions and veterinary careers. (secondary school students or higher)

Veterinary Science II: guides students in in-depth investigations of normal and abnormal systems, preparation for college and exploration of the diversity of the veterinary profession. (secondary school students or higher)

Raising Goats: explores the world of goats by teaching about the many breeds of goats, the concepts of raising goats, feeding and health care. Explores topics such as health problems, medicines, kidding, hoof trimming, tattooing, milking, the industry, behavior, and record keeping. Includes study of genetics, sire selection, reproduction, record keeping, careers, and public relations. (secondary school students or higher)

Raising Poultry: explores how to identify and select different species and breeds. Student will learn the parts of poultry animals including eggs and feather features as well as feeding, handling. The course explores how to recognize sickness early, identify parts and functions of a bird, how an egg is formed. Students are also taught about pecking order, selecting hens, feed tags, advertising poultry

products, and preventing poultry diseases. The course guides students in managing a laying flock, genetics, safe handling of meat and eggs, poultry careers, and preparing for the work place. (secondary school students or higher)

Raising Rabbits: explores breeds, handling, identifying rabbit parts, equipment, recognizing a healthy rabbit, reading a pedigree and kindling a litter. The course teaches how to recognize body types, tattoo a rabbit, keep records, identify diseases, administer medication, record growth rates and market products. The student is taught how to develop a breeding program, design a rabbitry, cull based on production and prevent diseases. (secondary school students or higher)

Raising Sheep: introduces students to the sheep industry, and teaches them the different breeds, the body parts, and behavior of sheep. They also learn about the many uses of wool, the by-products and care for newborn lambs. Explores parasites, using medications safely, the digestive system, sheep diseases, health practices, saving weak lambs, budgeting, and feed tags. Helps the student learn to set production goals, make a budget, learn about issues in the sheep industry, market sheep and learn about reproduction. Explores careers in the sheep industry. (secondary school students or higher)

Raising Milk Cows: explores dairy cattle breeds, selecting calves, identifying body parts, recognizing desirable traits and identifying stages of calving and care. Explores ethical decision making, keeping animals healthy, parasites, behavior, housing, hay quality, milking, food safety and careers. Allows students to learn about selection through records, mastitis detection, balancing a ration, pregnancy detection, delivery of a calf, promoting dairy products and exploring career opportunities. (secondary school students or higher)

SOURCE: Maharishi University of Management and other universities, USA. B. Professional Training Seminars – two examples: 1. Biological and Natural Control of Crop Diseases and Insect Pest:

This is a two day intensive seminar designed to train and educate the professional person working in agriculture and environmental sciences, production systems, government and academics. This two day training will cover many current topics of interest, for example:

a. Beneficial insects b. Beneficial microbials c. Natural herbicides d. Natural fungicides e. Natural insecticides f. Natural nematicides g. Commercial examples h. Current research data i. Formulations, application considerations, safety factors

Lecturer: Dr. Jim Schaefer - Director of the Agriculture Institute - Maharishi University of Management and Faculty of the MUM Sustainable Living Department

2. Food Science and Genetically Engineered Organisms (GMO’s): This two day intensive seminar series is designed to educate the professional person working in the field of food science, agriculture production, environmental sciences, research field, government and academics. This two day seminar will cover many topics, including as examples:

a. Introduction to genetic engineering b. Gene transfer methodologies c. Agriculture examples of GMO crops d. Commmercial, governing and political history of GMO’s e. Research – positive support for GMO’s f. Research – negative results with GMO’s

g. Environmental considerations surrounding GMO proliferation h. Global – current status of GMO governmental approval processes

i. The future of GMO technology Lecturer: Dr. John Fagan - Professor of Molecular Biology and Chemistry and Dean of the Graduate School, Maharishi University of Management, USA. Faculty of the MUM Sustainable Living Department

INCUBATOR

Graduates of the institution’s degree and certificate programs will be offered an opportunity to participate in the institution’s Incubator Program, an environment on campus designed to foster entrepreneurial activities for the youth which may include office access, business planning, market access, microeconomic loan access, equipment and use of a mini-industrial facility. The Incubator Program of the institution shall function to assist graduates to create their own jobs.

Internships and Curricular Practical Training

The agricultural activities at the commercial agribusiness operations will offer opportunities for students to intern in or observe agricultural enterprises. As the institution develops its operations, it will create agriculture-related businesses that will provide further opportunities for internships and curricular practical training. Internships may also be structured outside the institution.

Structure of Internship

In a typical week, the student has classroom instruction for five hours per day, Monday through Thursday and four hours on Friday, for a total of 24 hours. The student will work in an occupation related to their course of study for one to four hours per day, depending on the field projects available in the season, of which about half an hour will involve on-the-job instruction. Students will not be employed as full-time, regular workers in the commercial enterprises of the institution, because that may interfere with their studies.

Approved Internship Posts

Program Directors are responsible for locating and approving internship jobs. The Provost, as Chief Academic Officer will periodically review the internship jobs taken by students to ensure that they have sufficient educational content related to the student’s course of study.

Supervision of Interns

Interns in agricultural or agribusiness jobs will be supervised first by the employer, second by the faculty member in whose course the student is conducting the internship, and finally by the Program Director.

Assessment Rubric for the Capstone Project

EVALUATION RUBRIC FOR A VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE PROJECT AAS and AS in Agricultural Science, AS in Agricultural Business The Value-Added Agriculture Project is the summative experience of each of these degree programs. It is ordinarily conducted by a team of 4-6 students with representatives from each program. It begins with a feasibility study or business plan, for which the team organizes the necessary resources, executes a pilot production process, evaluates the results, and presents those results publicly. The elements of an excellent project (grade A) described below should be documented in a written Project Report.

1. Business Plan (35%)

a. Business concept statement. The business concept is stated clearly, describing the product in detail and identifying the target customers.

b. Market feasibility.

i. Market research shows that customers are likely to exist for this product and would be willing to pay a price that appears to be technically achievable and profitable.

ii. The logistics of transportation have been researched and analyzed financially

iii. The distribution channels for the product have been identified, and the likely price of the product at wholesale and retail are estimated well.

c. Scientific feasibility. The chemical, biological, and ecological assumptions of the project are thoroughly explained and justified.

d. Technical feasibility. The project is described in sufficient detail that its requirements for people (skills), land, and equipment can be assessed and determined to be realistic. Further, these human and physical resources are available in St. Kitts or can be brought to St. Kitts.

e. Financial feasibility. Financial projections are based on realistic assumptions and accurate estimates of costs.

f. Temporal feasibility. The plan is supported by proper project management techniques and includes a timeline showing milestones for achievement, resulting in a completed project within 2-4 months.

g. Scalability. If executed properly, the plan could be scaled up to create a business employing more than just the people in the team.

2. Organization (10%)

a. The student team is composed of people who have the right combination of knowledge and skills to execute the project.

b. The team has a viable plan for the legal organization of a business entity to accomplish this project or to scale up the project.

c. The team has been successful in obtaining the physical and financial resources necessary to execute this project.

3. Execution (35%)

a. The production processes used for the project adequately protect worker safety and consumer health.

b. The implementation of the plan follows the intended timeline rather well and conforms to the estimated human and physical requirements.

c. The team was able to recognize operational problems, diagnose their causes, formulate likely solutions, test the alternative solutions, and implement changes that solved the problems.

4. Results (20%)

a. The team identified measurable indicators for the performance of the value-adding processes used in the project and took measurements of performance efficiency and effectiveness that were used to guide the refinement of the process.

b. The financial results of the project have been recorded in an accounting system that provides useful information about costs and revenues both for the pilot project and to estimate the financial results of a scaled-up project.

c. The team presents the results of the project to other members of THE COLLEGE, or to

the press, or to business people in St. Kitts or elsewhere.

MINI-INDUSTRIAL AREA

The on campus industrial area is a dedicated physical space where graduates of the

academic programs of the institution may implement their plans for an enterprise. This area

may be characterized by a secure enclosure. It may be an open air type of structure, with

roof and no walls. It may have a dirt floor. The facility may have access to electricity and

running water. The facility will provide booth areas which are dedicated to the individual

enterprises of the academic institution graduates.

The graduates may be required to provide some of their cash flow from enterprise

operations back to the academic institution as rental income to the educational organization.

Enterprise owners will be encouraged to organize operations that respect the environment,

that follow principles of sustainability, that follow principles of sustainable business which is

often defined as an enterprise seeking a “triple bottom line” (TBL). A TBL sustainable

enterprise seeks profitability from operations, it seeks profitable, life supporting experience

for the people engaged in the enterprise and it seeks a positive effect (no-negative side

effects) on the environment and society within which the operation Is located.

The enterprise may receive assistance, even from the incubator stage, with regard to micro-

economic amounts of capital needed to organize and launch the business interest.

Young people go through many stages of personal growth between the ages of 15 – 25

years. It is the intention of this Model to provide opportunity for the youth in multiple of these

stages. This is to include the academic stage, the enterprise planning stage and the

business implementation stages. This assumes the graduate is reasonably motivated to be

an entrepreneur. The institution under this model seeks to serve the student through the

many transitions of youth to adulthood. This model seeks to work with the human

development of the student from late adolescence to young adult life.

It is anticipated that, after some time, perhaps 1 – 3 years, the enterprise housed within the

mini-industrial area of the institution will grow adequately, the manager/owner of the

enterprise will mature, such that this enterprise may consider moving from the property of

the institution to the open market place. This extraordinary effort to cultivate and nurture the

young entrepreneur is by design a plan to increase the probability that the young enterprise

might survive the test of time, become a reliable source of income for the founder, provide

jobs to the local community and produce an individual who contributes to the well-being of

his local society.

APPLICATIONS OF THE MODEL

USA: In Fairfield, Iowa, the home of Maharishi University of Management, this Model has

been implemented. This is a rural area of the USA. The start of this community and

academic development initiative was 1979 and it continues to this day. The university is a

diverse academic setting with programs starting at pre-school level and going up to the

Ph.D. level. The academic institution can be viewed at www.mum.edu. MUM is a

Consciousness Based Education academic enterprise. The community development,

around this academic institution was originally called The Super Radiance Community. This

community development was based extensively on new enterprise, entrepreneurial

developments. The academic institution launched an incubator to support this development

in 1980. This incubator was labeled The Age of Enlightenment Chamber of Commerce. It

was an environment within which young upstart entrepreneurs could seek help and

assistance in the start of their enterprises. This incubator also engaged in the process of

promoting the development of and relocation of business enterprise to the community

surrounding the academic institution. The academic institution and the entrepreneurial

surrounding community was and continues to be on an integrated course of evolution and

development. Each depended upon the other for inspiration, strategic direction and financial

support. Especially, the academic institution received from this commercial community

significant financial support and continues to receive this support to this day.

The commercial evolution surrounding this academic institution has largely favored many

applications of more sustainable principles of science and business. There is an organic

dairy farm supplying the community with a broad array of organic dairy products, suppliers of

natural building materials, stores that specialize in natural organic food materials, an organic

fertilizer and pesticide manufacturing enterprise, the university now has its own production of

organic vegetables and fruits to supply its students, there are many service organizations in

the areas of finance and law, there is an “eco-village” with many homes that are mostly off-

the-grid producing their own electricity and there are many new homes in the area that have

been designed on the principles of Vedic Vastu Architecture. There are hundreds of small

enterprises providing jobs for many of the graduates of the academic institution and they

generate cash flow which helps support the university and the community at large.

The university has evolved in this environment to be an example of sustainability in action.

The landscape of the campus has shifted to the principles underlying the science of

permaculture, which includes plantations of many types of edible plants for the beautification

of the campus. The institution has established within itself a Sustainable Living academic

department and is one of the early USA institutions to provide the Bachelor’s degree in

Sustainable Living. The university, through donations provided by the local community

surrounding it, has constructed a dedicated new Sustainable Living classroom building which

is designed to be totally “off-the-grid”. This building is also built in accordance with the

principles of Vedic Vastu Architecture.

After thirty years, as an ongoing successful initiative, this commercial, residential planned

community, which surrounds the greater area around the academic institution, is an

academic and social economic development model which might be duplicated in other areas

of the globe.

St. Kitts, The Caribbean: This application of the Model was started in about 2009. The

application of the Model in this initiative would be considered a public-private initiative. The

management of this development effort is an NGO in St. Kitts called the Institute for Health

and Sustainable Living. This NGO has received from the cabinet of the government

preliminary approval to launch four developmental initiatives on the island. The initiatives

include a College of Sustainable Living which will offer two year Associate degrees in

agriculture, an organic dairy farm, an organic sugar processing operation and the institution

of Consciousness Based Education in the island education systems. In addition the NGO

has acquired the St. Kitts Business College, where academic programs are provided to

disadvantaged youth. The government is supplying under this initiative the dairy facilities,

including land, cows and equipment. The government is providing standing sugar cane

fields to supply the college’s small cottage industry for production of organic sugar. This

initiative is ongoing, it is expanding and perfecting its opportunities. This NGO and its local

initiatives are tied to MUM and community in the USA for academic support and strategic

planning.

Togo: In this west African nation an application of this Model is being executed by a local

NGO. This NGO started this effort in about 2010. Under this initiative, the NGO has entered

a strategic alliance with a local tribal group in the area of Kara, Togo. The tribal group of

chiefs have provided a 100 hectare parcel of land for the implementation of the Model. This

initiative involves the creation of secondary and tertiary educational institutions. This

particular implementation involves the establishment of multiple agribusiness enterprises, as

an initial activity, for support of the academic institution. The agribusiness enterprises are

currently under development, including a soap factory, a dairy operation and a jam

production facility. The soap factory is now underway. It is based on local natural soap

recipes, that are common to the area, especially based on Shea butter extractions. The

Shea nut tree is local to the area. The soap business is a venture with local ladies who have

a long multi-generational history of making soap from local materials. The soap is being

labeled and organized for both the domestic and international markets in the USA and EU.

The dairy enterprise has started, with the importation of a Jersey dairy bull, to support the

genetic improvement of local female milk cows. The services of the bull are also being sold

to the local cattle farmers. This initiative is contractually connected to MUM and its

surrounding community for academic and general strategic support. This application of the

Model is in an early stage of development, but has been received well by the local tribal

communities and the government officials of Togo.

Uganda: This application of the Model was started about 2011. A Uganda NGO is

responsible for this implementation of the Model. This application involves the development

of an academic institution that will teach sustainable organic agriculture and agri-business, at

the vocational level. Lands upon which this implementation will take place have been

provided by a local university professor. The initiative is a joint effort between the university

professor and the NGO. The planned enterprise, which will by design support the academic

institution, is a dairy operation. The lands are suitable for animal agriculture. This initiative

is connected to MUM for academic and general strategic support. This application of the

Model is in an early stage of development.

Rwanda: This application of the Model is being executed by a local NGO, which

organization is dedicated to training local young women and young men with skills that allow

them to effectively pursue employment opportunity in their country. This effort was started in

2012. This initiative involves a public-private approach. This NGO has received from the

government of Rwanda an estimated 200 hectares of land, with underutilized improvements

that have historically been used as an academic institution. The local NGO has launched

agriculture production activities on the land, with the plan to support the renovation and

activation of the academic adapted structures located on the lands. This initiative is

connected to MUM for academic support and general strategic guidance. This initiative is in

an early stage of development.

There are many other countries which are now beginning to mobilize an application for the

Model as outlined in this document. These countries include Indonesia, Grenada, Dominica,

Guatemala, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, UK, Poland and Qatar.

CONCLUSIONS:

This Model seems to address the need of the time. Societies globally are in need of

opportunity development for their youth. It is important that the modeling of these

opportunities are sustainable, life supporting and evidence based. The Model outlined

herein fulfills these ambitions.

The Model, as presented here in is practical. It is not driven by a need for large sums of new

capital, which is often difficult to assemble. The Model seeks to produce cash flow from

commercial agribusiness activities which might help satisfy some of the development cost

associated with implementation

The academic programs under the Model have extensive empirical support for efficacy. This

program is an evidenced based approach to enhancing the process of academic delivery.

The Consciousness Based Education supplementary curriculum has hundreds of positive

empirically generated supportive research reports documenting its application in many types

of academic environments.

The Model is sensitive to the need to advance more sustainable approaches to human

development. The Model encourages local financial self-sufficiency, it promotes local social

evolution that does not produce negative side-effects in the environment, it promotes the

concept of the “triple bottom line” as the more sustainable approach to economic

development.

The Model has inherent to its structure and application a multiplier effect. This means that

the activities associated with production of new young entrepreneurs, not only has a direct

positive effect on the life of the enterprising student, but also the benefits are felt in society at

large, by producing local employment and accumulation of financial resources to support

over all development of the local social economic system, including the general well-being of

the total population.

The influence from implementation of the Model transcends the mundane. The influence is

holistic. It produces influences in the local environment of the initiative of a greater capacity

to fulfill desires, happiness and peace. This more abstract consideration, may in the end be

the more important contribution from the application and implementation of the Model.

APPENDICES:

I. Research results for Consciousness Based Education can be found at:

Summary of Scientific Research on Consciousness Based Education

https://consciousnessbasededucation.org/uploads/file/pdf/20p_CBE_sciRes_USsize_Sep10.

pdf

Maharishi University of Management - USA

www.mum.edu

Transcendental Meditation Program - global

www.tm.org

International Federation for Consciousness Based Education – The Netherlands

https://consciousnessbasededucation.org/

FOOTNOTES:

¹ Secretary of State,Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Youth Rising,” Tunisia, February 25, 2012.

² Population Reference Bureau. 2011, available at http://www.prb.org/.

³ World Bank Development Report (2007). Development and the Next Generation. The

World Bank. 4 The Youth Employment Crisis: A call for Action. International Labor Organization. 2012.

5 The Youth Employment Crisis: A call for Action. International Labor Organization. 2012.

6 United Nations – Millennium Development Goals - Report, p.19. 7 IDRC (International Development Research Centre - Canada), ‘Social Innovation towards

Sustainable Livelihoods for Youth,’ 2000.

8 JPAL - Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab – Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

2012.

9 In the U.S., a caring consistent adult mentor has been found to be the most important asset

for ensuring positive youth development. Theokas & Lerner (2006); Larson (2000); Herrera,

C. et. al, (2007).

TABLES: Table One. UNESCO Institute for Statistics, table 8, 2012 (online): School life expectancy (approximation method). Data on school life expectancy (years) from primary to tertiary by country and sex, available from UIS website, http://www.uis.unesco.org. Table Two. UNESCO Institute for Statistics, table 14, 2012 Tertiary indicators, available

from UIS website: http://www.uis.unesco.org.

FIGURES:

Figure One. Population World Wide. United Nations Population Division, World Population

Prospects: The 2010 Revision, (0nline), medium variant (2011), available at:

http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2012/world-population-data-sheet/fact-sheet-

world-population.aspx.

SUSTAINABLE AND CONSCIOUSNESS BASED RURAL EDUCATIONAL AND

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A MODEL AND ILLUSTRATION

Dr. Jim Schaefer

Director – Agriculture Institute

Maharishi University of Management

2103 185th St.

Fairfield, Iowa 52556 USA

Phone: +1-515-451-8902

Fax: +1-641-472-6189

Email: jsstc108@yahoo.com