Introduction

 

Please read these Terms of Service (“Terms”) carefully before using our online courses, online programs and services (including our website). If you are enrolling and/or participating in a GVI virtual and online course or program (“GVI Online Course”), then you will be bound by these Terms. For purposes of these Terms, the terms “GVI”, “we,” “our” and “us” refer to GVI Programs Limited.

By using, visiting and/or accessing our Services (as defined below), you confirm your acceptance of these Terms and you (as a “participant”) will enter into a binding legal agreement with us on each occasion. Please ensure that you read these Terms carefully. If you do not agree to any of these Terms, then you must not use our Services and you must immediately discontinue the use of our Services.

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. All amendments to these Terms will be posted online and will become effective on their date of posting. Please make sure you check regularly to see any amendments that may have been made. 

Please note that the following additional terms and conditions are incorporated into these Terms by reference:

• GVI Privacy Policy, which governs how your personal data is used.
• GVI Terms and Conditions if you choose to apply for a fieldwork program after you have completed the GVI Online Course(s).

If you are under 18 years of age, by using, visiting and/or accessing the Services, you confirm that you have your parent or legal guardian’s consent to use these Services. These Services are not directed at children under the age of 13.

 

Our Services

 

These Terms govern your enrollment and use of the GVI Online Course and associated learning management platform(s).

The defined term “Service(s)” means the products and services (such as websites located at https://go.gviworld.com/ and https://people.go.gviworld.com/, services and course content located at GVI’s custom domain and any other systems, platforms and services) we use to provide our Services to you. The defined term “GVI Online Course” refers to both any individual course as well as any number of courses available through the Services.

Our Services allow you to view information about and/or enrol in GVI Online Courses. Together with our instructors, teaching assistants, career counsellors, student success managers, and practitioners (collectively, “Instructors”), we offer curricula in a variety of areas around sustainable development, leadership development, field guiding and conservation.

By enrolling in a GVI Online Course, you agree to these Terms, the Privacy Policy and the rules laid out in the Student Handbook that you receive after enrolling. If you subsequently choose to undertake any fieldwork with GVI, you will also be agreeing to the GVI Terms and Conditions. We cannot promise the availability of any course.

 

Paying for a GVI online course

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PAYMENTS MADE ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

You will be quoted in the currency of your home country (e.g. country of current permanent residence) and you are not eligible to pay in any other currencies unless we do not offer the currency of your home country. We accept payments in GBP, USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, PLN and ZAR. Currency exchange rates are set at our discretion and do not necessarily reflect current market exchange rates.

We accept payments by debit card, credit card or bank (EFT) transfer. If you pay by credit/debit card, we will charge any subsequent payments to that same card on the date they are due.

Payment plan and schedule information will be shared with you as part of the enrollment process. Should your payment not be received within 7 days of your payment due date, we reserve the right to cancel your enrollment, without refund. Your payment amounts and due dates will always be communicated to you by email.

No refunds will be offered for any fees paid. Where GVI has to cancel a course, alternative start dates will be offered.

 

Enrolment

 

In most cases, no additional documentation is required to enrol for a GVI Online Course. However, GVI reserves the right to ask you to provide documentation on your education level if applicable. Additionally, you agree that GVI may share any relevant information provided by you to third party vendors (such as program partners) to process your enrollment. GVI commits to sharing this information in line with our Privacy Policy.

You can enrol a minimum of 24 hours before the start date of the course you wish to join.

GVI Online Course Requirements

Technical requirements: In order to complete the GVI Online Course, you will need a current email account, and access to a computer and the Internet. 

GVI Online Course requirements: In order to receive your certificate of completion for the GVI Online Course, you must meet all the course/program requirements outlined in the syllabus. Requirements typically include completing an assignment, self-assessments, participant evaluations, and contributing to the online discussion forums.

A failure to meet the course/program requirements, may result in one or more of the following events, as determined by us in our sole discretion (and no refunds will be issued in such events):

• You receiving a zero or no credit for an assignment
• You having any certificate earned in the course/program withheld or revoked
• You being disenrolled from the GVI Online Course
• The termination of your use of the learning management system

Communicating with the student support team

All correspondence with our student support team will be via email or telephone. 

All other correspondence in relation to the GVI Online Course content and communications with Instructors, facilitators and your peers will take place via the learning platform, Canvas. GVI does not monitor, have access to, or retain internal communications within Canvas, and cannot be held responsible for the content of such communications.

If you decide to share any personal information with our student support team, you agree that we may process such information in accordance with the provisions of our Privacy Policy. Where you share personal information or contact details with your peers, you agree that we are neither responsible nor liable for their use of this information.

Qualifying for fieldwork internships 

Some participants may enrol for certain of GVI Online’s Courses that allow for direct entry into a fieldwork internship. Should you not complete or pass your GVI Online Courses, you may continue to the internship but will be required to complete a refresher course when you do eventually travel to the field.

 

Changes

Changes to the start date of your GVI Online Course are only permitted up to 14 days before your online start date, subject to your payment of the applicable change fee. You can only change your start date once.

 

The Honor Code

 

By participating in any of our GVI Online Courses, you agree to:

• Complete all work associated with the relevant course on your own, unless collaboration is explicitly permitted.
• Maintain only one GVI Online account.
• Not engage in any activity that would dishonestly improve your results, or dishonestly improve or negatively affect the results of others.
• Not share answers to problems that are being used to assess participant performance.
• Not share or publicly post any course materials (e.g. toolkits or videos from course pages).
• Act as a steward of the above “Honor Code” and encourage others to do so as well.

Failure to comply with the Honor Code may result in your immediate expulsion from the course with no certificate and with no refunds being due to you.

 

Certificates

 

In all cases, certificates are only issued to participants who successfully complete their GVI Online Course. The Student Handbook provides details on what is expected of you as a participant in our online courses.

 

Posting content to the Platform

 

The Service also allows you to post and comment on the education platform. Posting here is similar to what you do when you add content to and comment on social media platforms. We reserve the right to review and remove any posts or other content if we deem them to breach these Terms or other rules, ethical practices, regulations and laws. We also reserve the right to review and remove any posts or other user content that is deemed to be abusive, disruptive, offensive, illegal or that violates the rights of, or harms our safety and reputation, or that of users of the Service or Instructors.

The platform enables you to engage with other users and Instructors. Keep in mind that the content you post may be seen by other users of the Service. You must use good judgement and caution when posting on the platform board. Never post personal information that you would not share openly in public (such as credit card details, or ID, passport or social security numbers). We do not promise, represent or warrant that any content that you post on the platform will remain confidential.

You confirm that you are duly authorised to upload any content that you post to the Service platform. You agree not to upload any content that is obscene, illegal or unlawful, defamatory, libellous, discriminatory, harassing, vulgar, profane, racist, culturally or ethnically offensive or that encourages criminal conduct or potentially gives rise to civil or criminal liability or that violates any applicable law. You expressly acknowledge that you alone are responsible for any content you upload to the Service and for any consequences that may arise from your posted content.

 

Access to the site

 

You may not share your login credentials with another person or allow someone else to impersonate or take courses on your behalf. You are fully responsible for any and all activities that occur through the use of your credentials. Where you have any concerns that your credentials may have been compromised or otherwise shared, then you are to notify us immediately. 

You may not impersonate any other person or access the Services using someone else’s login credentials.

 

Termination

 

We may terminate or suspend your account and/or otherwise bar your access to the Services immediately, without prior notice or liability, in our sole discretion, for any reason and without limitation, including but not limited to a breach of the Terms.

All provisions of the Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall do so, including, without limitation, ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, exclusions, governing law, indemnity and limitations of liability.

You are responsible for any claims, fees, penalties, or other forms of liability incurred by us or others caused by or arising out of your breach of these Terms and or your use of the Service.

 

Intellectual property

 

The Services and any related content (including but not limited to text, graphics, designs, audio and video content), features, and functionality are the exclusive property of GVI and its licensors. The Services and related content is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws of both the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of South Africa, and other countries. You may not use our content and/or trademarks, other than to complete your coursework, without our prior written consent. You may not use the trademarks or brands of our education partners without their prior written consent.

 

Acceptable Use

 

The permitted use of our content, features and functionality is limited and in general any deviations will require our prior written permission. If you are uncertain as to whether your use is permitted, contact us immediately before you use such content. Prohibited use of our content and of the Services includes, but is not limited to:

• Making copies of course content via any electronic database, network or internet server for any purpose, whether commercial or non-commercial;
• Reverse engineering, disassembling or decompiling the Services and course content or parts thereof; 
• Attempting to gain unauthorised access to the Services or user accounts and their associated data;
• Framing or linking to the Services and course content without our prior written permission;
• Removing any notice of copyright, trademark or other mark from where it is embedded in any course content; and
• Automated searches, aside from in the normal course of operation of legitimate search engines.

 

Third-party content and links

 

The Services may include content from and links to third-party websites and apps. You assume all risk through the use of such links or content. We are not liable for anything that happens from your use of content from and or links to third-party websites.

 

Communications

 

Notices relating to security, privacy and other core administrative communications are a necessary part of using the Services and you agree to receive these communications.

In addition, you agree that we may contact you from time to time to share course-related communications and/or to promote the Services.

 

Indemnities

 

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold us, our managers, owners, officers, directors, employees, agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, assigns and our licensee and licensors, and their employees, contractors, agents, officers and directors, from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs or debt, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees), resulting from or arising out of a) your (or a person using your account’s) use of and access to the Services; or b) a breach of these Terms.

 

Availability and reliability of the Services

 

We are constantly updating our product and service offerings available as part of the Services. We may experience delays in updating information on the Services and in our advertising on other websites. The information found in connection with the Services may contain errors or inaccuracies and may not be complete or current. We make no representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of any information or content relating to the Services, third-party service providers or the quality or nature of third-party products or services obtained or utilised through the Services. Products or services may be mispriced, described inaccurately, or unavailable through the Services and we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information found in respect of the Services.

We therefore reserve the right to change or update information and to correct errors, inaccuracies, or omissions at any time without prior notice.

In addition, we may change, suspend, or discontinue the Services or any portion of the Services at any time without notice or liability.

 

Disclaimer

 

Your use of the Services is at your own risk. The Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. The Services are provided without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.

We do not warrant that a) the Services will function uninterrupted, be secure or available at any particular time or location; b) any errors or defects will be corrected; c) the Services are free of viruses or other harmful components; or d) the results of using the Services will meet your requirements. 

You are solely responsible for any damage to your computer system or mobile device, data loss, data theft or other damages that result from the download or use of any material from the Services. Should you be required to use material or software from any third-party supplier or service, you remain solely responsible for any damage to your computer system or mobile device, data loss, data theft or other damages that result from the download or use of any material or software from that third-party supplier or service. You expressly understand and agree to this disclaimer in full.

 

No indulgence

 

If we choose not to enforce any part of these Terms at any stage, that does not mean that we cannot do so at a later time (and such choice will not constitute a waiver of our rights to properly enforce these Terms).

 

Limitation of liability

 

In no event shall GVI, its directors, employees, partners, agents, suppliers, or affiliates, be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages, including without limitation, loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from (i) your access to, or use of, or inability to access or use the Services; (ii) any conduct or content of any third party on the Services; (iii) any content obtained from the Services; (iv) the use or the inability to use the Services; (v) the cost of procurement of substitute goods and services resulting from any goods, data, information or services obtained or messages received or transactions entered into through, from, or as a result of the Services; (vi) unauthorised access, use or alteration of your transmissions or content, whether based on warranty, contract, tort (including negligence) or any other legal theory, whether or not we have been informed of the possibility of such damage, and even if a remedy set forth herein is found to have failed of its essential purpose; and (vii) any other matter relating to the Service.

To the fullest extent possible by law, our maximum liability arising out of or in connection with the Services or your use of our content, regardless of the cause of action (whether in contract, tort, breach of warranty, or otherwise) will not exceed £100 or local equivalent as per GVI’s exchange rates.

 

Dispute resolution

 

You agree that by using our Services you are :

• waiving the right to a court or jury trial
• Waiving the right to participate in a class action
• Agreeing to bring claims against us only in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, representative, or collective proceeding
• Agreeing that any arbitration will take place on an individual basis

These Terms and the relationship between you and us shall be governed by the laws of the United Kingdom without regard to its conflict of law provisions, regardless of where you live. You agree to submit any disputes to the legally binding arbitration service, Dispute Settlement Services Ltd, at your expense. Should we be found to be in the wrong, your reasonable costs of filing the dispute will be reimbursed by order of the arbitration body. Any such arbitration, to the extent necessary, shall be conducted either in the United Kingdom or in a mutually agreed location. You agree not to bring any action against us in any other forum.

Any cause of action or claim you may have arising out of or in any way relating to these Terms, your use of the Services or website, or your dealings with us must be brought for arbitration within one year after the cause of action occurs.

 

Complaints

 

You should direct any complaints in writing to [email protected] where you will be requested to complete a complaint form. GVI will not engage with complaints made by third parties unless explicitly directed in writing by you. Where you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must explicitly direct GVI to engage with a third party regarding you or your participation.

 

General Matters

 

GVI may subcontract any of its obligations under these Terms, provided that your rights are not adversely affected as a result. We may assign, cede or delegate our rights and/or obligations in these Terms to a third party on reasonable written notice to you.

If a court or any other competent authority finds that any provision of these Terms (or part of any provision) is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that provision or part-provision shall, to the extent required, be deemed deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the other provisions of the Terms shall not be affected.

No addition to or modification of any provision of these Terms by you will be binding on GVI, unless made in writing and signed by our duly authorised representatives.

These Terms, read together with the relevant terms or documentation mentioned above, constitute the whole agreement between you and us with regards to the subject matter.