A Statement of Purpose and Vision

Burman University: A Statement of Purpose and Vision

Burman University is rooted in the Seventh-day Adventist Christian faith. For more than a century, Burman has empowered students to serve their communities. Operating within this ethos, we hold the core values of excellence, service, spirituality, integrity, and community. Situated within the hereditary indigenous land of the Treaty Six Territory in Lacombe, Alberta, Burman’s diverse campus family is drawn from across Alberta, Canada, and around the globe.

We live in a globalized society which needs people who care for each other and the world we live in, people who are characterized by the desire to overcome challenges together.   In order for our students to succeed, we provide them with the tools and abilities to navigate the future where they can thrive and serve.

As a light on a hill, Burman University is a learning community of choice that embraces an integrated educational approach. We believe that a complete education includes the intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual dimensions and that such an education will foster lives of fulfilling service.

Burman students are immersed in a wholistic approach that emphasizes thinking, believing, and acting. We cultivate a campus culture that is deeply intentional in its mission of service, and we celebrate the meaningful connections we share with each individual in our university family of students and alumni.
  
Burman is a place for students to engage with the world of ideas, while developing their own. Our students learn how to think in ordered ways and to understand the myriad connections between knowledge and belief. 

At Burman, each student is known and valued.  We are a learning community that cares about each student’s success.  We believe that, while servant leadership begins with knowledge, knowledge must be integrated into a caring, ethical worldview if students are to embrace a dynamic understanding of how to live and lead.   

Our graduates develop a faith-grounded perspective to approach the world with a profound Christ-like appreciation of the value of every individual. They emerge with a far-reaching sense of responsibility to care for others, themselves, and the planet of which we are stewards.

At Burman we affirm the power of God’s grace to guide an ethical compass that consistently points toward the good.  An education at Burman is more than training for work. It is an education that readies students for life, leadership, and service. 

Students at Burman are provided opportunities to engage in community-based and international learning where they develop a deep understanding of their mission in the world.  

We are grounded in three faith-based principles of learning:

1. an integrative, interdisciplinary exploration of knowledge, faith, and reason;  
2. a rigorous, intentional, and ethical implementation of active-learning strategies; and
3. a co-curricular program of life-skills and opportunities for Christian service and civic leadership. 

At Burman, students learn how to ask important questions, create effective solutions, and empower others for better ways of being.  The fullest vision of an education at Burman University is a mature expression of faith merged with knowledge and skill that bend the arc of the moral universe towards greater wisdom, empathy, and care. 

 In the pursuit of knowledge to engage, educate, and elevate service to humanity, at Burman, we go further and higher.
     
This is the Burman experience.
 

Our Commitment

To fulfill the above:

Burman University believes

• that educated young people can change the world;
• that we are an institution where Christian principles are upheld; 
• that Burman will educate students to think with discernment, to believe with insight and commitment, and to act with confidence, compassion, and competence; and
• that we can graduate remarkable leaders for our local community, for church and faith leadership, for all of Canada, and for the world.

To stakeholders—parents, partners, donors, and friends of Burman—we promise that every effort will be made so that 

• you may count on our graduates to be competent and ethical, and that those of Adventist faith will support and nurture the church;
• you will know that Burman University is the place where Christian principles are upheld, and that integrity and respect are the hallmarks of our graduates; and
• you may be confident that your investment provides students with a quality wholistic education.

To each student we promise, that if you do your part,          

• when you graduate, you will have the knowledge and credentials to seek admission to institutions to further your education;
• when you graduate, you will have the skills to enter employment in the field of your studies;
• you will learn from qualified and experienced teachers who care about you during and after your time at university;
• you will be part of a Christian community and be given the opportunity to develop your spiritual life and commitment; and
• we will be mentors so that you may chart a life path with the knowledge and skills for a “life well lived,” with an emphasis on service to God and to others.

 To faculty and staff, we promise

• to provide the necessary tools and equipment for success;  
• to provide facilities that enhance learning; 
• to strive to provide the resources needed for research and professional development; and 
• to provide a safe and caring work environment. 

VISION

To provide a transformational university experience that empowers students to serve others and to share hope.     

MISSION

Transforming lives through whole-person education and service, Burman University will educate students to think with discernment, to believe with insight and commitment, and to act with confidence, compassion, and competence.

CORE VALUES

Burman University, with its roots and traditions within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is committed to the ideals and vision found in the teaching of Jesus Christ; therefore, it holds and models the following values:

• EXCELLENCE
  Burman University values graduate success, intellectual exploration, personal   and spiritual growth, healthful living, and a welcoming campus.

• SERVICE
  Burman University values caring and compassionate relationships, and programs that foster service by employees, students, and alumni.

• SPIRITUALITY
• Burman University values and promotes the quest for a deeper    understanding of and a relationship with God, as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.

• INTEGRITY
  Burman University values transparency, honesty, intellectual integrity, and responsible academic freedom.

• COMMUNITY 
  Burman University values teamwork, servant leadership, safety, diversity, and inclusion.