Throughout its history, GAU has been guided by its focus on five core values: access, speed, relevance, value and community.

Girne American University is dedicated to making American model learning opportunities accessible throughout life and to making them challenging and relevant to a diverse population of young adults. Its aim is to make possible an education that is at the same time both accessible and excellent. It does this through exceptional management of the University operations and resources, innovative delivery systems, student services and relevant programmes that are learner-centred, success-oriented and responsive to technology. In support of its mission, a programme has been initiated to transform all courses into digital format. This effective format for course presentation is a practical expression of one of the University’s core values - that of providing access to higher education. The format helps students to complete their programmes expeditiously, thus reflecting another core value of speed.

Another aspect of speed is the ability to make adjustments in the curriculum to keep abreast of developments in each field. In this way Girne American University is able to offer new programmes promptly when new needs and opportunities present themselves. This responsiveness supports the core value of relevance. Even as GAU works to provide programmes that are current and relevant it also strives to provide them at an affordable price so that the student receives value. As GAU has matured the University has recognised that it cannot succeed without a sense of community. This it strives to achieve by creating an atmosphere of mutual respect, openness, honesty and attentiveness to the core values. The University has made significant progress in creating such a community among its members and it has thereby created opportunities for students to gain an appreciation of their own role in the community by building experience at national and local and international level. At Girne American University we strive to reach the unreachable, to provide learning and to encourage educational development worldwide.

“Our World is university, events are teachers, happiness is the graduation point, and character is the diploma God gives a man.” (John Dewey)