The goals and mission of the Institute support and enhance the following Core Values of the College of Education:

Building Professional Identities

We support the development of individuals as life-long learners and effective professionals who are grounded in their own identities. In particular we teach through the martial arts respect for self and others and strive to empower our students to be proactive change agents in their lives and the lives of the communities in which they live and work. A major focus of the Institute lies in the building of professional identities through professional development and certification.

Collaboration and Relationships

We engage in authentic, active participation with the community to develop solutions for the individual, local and global challenges we face. Many of our instructors and students are embedded in various sectors in their communities and work with at risk youth and other populations. Our goals include establishing strong relationships in order to engage effectively in outreach activity with schools, police departments, women's groups and various other agencies for whom what we teach may make a significant impact on their lives and occupations.

Dignity

We treat all people ethically, with respect, and afford them the dignity that is their innate right. Respect is a key element in the martial arts and it is one of the major areas that we strive to emphasize and develop in our classes.

New Mexico

The peoples, cultures, histories and communities of New Mexico enrich our work. This sense of place influences all that we do. Our work with a variety of groups and populations in New Mexico helps bring us in contact with a considerable amount of diversity. Such exposure undoubtedly influences our own orientations, philosophies and teaching practices and helps create a positive environment for sharing, learning and exchanging ideas. Thus, with every individual we help we improve the quality of life in New Mexico.

Scholarship and Research

We challenge ourselves to engage in scholarship and research that enrich the human experience, inform educational policy and practice, and address the needs of a complex and diverse world. One of the major goals of the Institute is to bring together the most qualified instructors and their students for the purpose of exploring significant questions pertaining to, among other areas, the effects of the martial arts on psychological and physical growth and development.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning are central to our work. We study, question, debate and revise these dynamic and robust areas of investigation in order to improve our practice. First and foremost we are teachers. We not only stress the acquisition of technical skills as these pertain to the martial arts but we also focus on the development of the whole person. Some of the attributes we strive to develop include self discipline, hard work, confidence, self knowledge, control, respect for self and others, and the attainment of peace and harmony. The path is long and rigorous and in the process of helping others grow and develop we also learn much about ourselves.
The study of traditional martial arts (the Budo Way) is a process of self discovery and those who study and teach the Budo Way develop deeper insights and understandings that help to better guide them on life's many paths.

Local and Global Perspectives

The martial arts are today a global phenomenon that permeates communities, regions, and countries around the world. These arts have become a "universal language" that helps bring together persons of different socioeconomic groups, races, ages, gender and ethnic backgrounds in a spirit of equality and mutual respect. For example, wherever a martial artist happens to be in the world he/she always has a home in another dojo, or in the home of a fellow practitioner. This is how lifelong friendships are forged, cross-cultural barriers broken and insights and understandings about other cultures made.

Finally, the martial arts are a very effective cultural medium for spreading such messages, insights and understandings and, in this sense, they are a perfect vehicle for promoting the broader goals of education in the world.