GTUx Surpasses 10,000 Enrolled Users Worldwide
The online platform has recently been named a finalist for two awards; received substantial grant funding; and continues to foster strong, global partnerships
BERKELEY, CA – August 24, 2023 - The Graduate Theological Union is pleased to announce that its innovative digital learning platform, GTUx, surpassed the 10,000 enrolled user threshold earlier this summer and is well on its way to reaching 15,000 in the coming months. As the platform's global community expands, this enrollment milestone demonstrates the growing demand for the unique educational experiences that GTUx offers.
Introduced in March 2022, GTUx extends the GTU's campus and furthers its mission by serving as a dynamic, digital learning environment for individuals and communities around the world to engage deeply with questions of spirituality and religion that are situated at the nexus of some of the most critical issues of our time. The platform has published more than 80 offerings, including close collaborations with many GTU faculty, alums, and other community members. Recent highlights include a Certificate of Completion in Ecospirituality with Drs. Rita Sherma and Devin Zuber, and a GTUx Original on Faith and Sustainable Lifestyles developed in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Faith for Earth Coalition.
Indeed, in addition to the Faith for Earth Coalition, GTUx has forged several strong partnerships with organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme’s Faith for Earth Coalition, The Nearness, GOOD DOCS, and more. The platform has also grown to feature the voices of scholars and luminaries from a wide array of backgrounds, disciplines, and institutions, including experts from GTU’s neighboring UC Berkeley, such as Michael Pollan, David Presti, and Carolyn Chen.
As a further testament to its success, GTUx has also secured substantial funding from the Association of Theological School’s Moving Forward in Mission grant program and has been named a finalist for two awards thus far, including the Khaladjan International Award for Innovation in Higher Education.
"In reaching this significant milestone, the GTU and GTUx stand as hubs of innovation within theological education” said Uriah Kim, GTU President. “The tremendous global growth of GTUx in its first year makes it clear that there is a deep desire for the type of exploration of spirituality and religion that the GTU is uniquely positioned to offer. Looking to the year ahead, I am incredibly encouraged about the ways in which the continued growth of GTUx will expand the reach of the GTU's mission around the world in revolutionary ways. In many ways, I see this as how our learning community is giving back to the world.”
GTUx is poised to continue its rapid growth in the year ahead with the launch of a number of new initiatives, including additional Certificates of Completion, building upon the success of the existing Certificate of Completion in Ecospirituality; as well as "Designing Your Spiritual Life," a multi-modal learning journey funded by the Moving Forward in Mission Grant that is intended to nourish and nurture the spiritual resilience, interreligious understanding, cultural humility, and self-awareness of emerging theological scholar-practitioners and religious leaders.
The GTUx team is working to develop new and exciting partnerships that promise to further enrich the platform's offerings. Forthcoming content will delve into the realm of artificial intelligence and its ethical dimensions, continuing GTUx's commitment to producing content that explores today’s critical issues. Additionally, the GTUx Connect community, now fostering connections through Instagram and Facebook, continues to create space for meaningful discussions among learners seeking to dialogue about spirituality and intellectual exploration.
“I am proud to be an early investor in the future of GTUx, and, by extension, the future trajectory of the GTU,” said LaRae Quy, Secretary to the GTU Board of Trustees and Chair of the Advancement Committee, who recently made a gift of $100,000 to GTUx together with her husband, Roger. "The remarkable expansion of GTUx since its launch demonstrates the substantial demand for content that fosters meaningful understanding, presented in an approachable and easily digestible format, and thoughtfully tailored to the pursuits of individuals on their respective learning and spiritual journeys. Roger and I are excited to watch the platform continue to grow and reach new audiences around the globe."
To learn more about GTUx and its original offerings, visit: https://gtux.gtu.edu