Guliverio Akademija was founded in 2017 by two professionals – Stephen George Lee and Rūta Gustainienė – with the goal of creating a school where children grow as independent, thoughtful, and responsible learners. Both founders are actively involved in leading the school – not only making strategic decisions but also taking part in the educational process: teaching, consulting, and building the community. Their experience spans education management, psychology, leadership, and organizational dynamics – all of which are reflected in the school’s daily life.
Director, Co-founder
A long-serving Australian educator with more than 40 years of teaching experience. For 20 of those years, he served as a school principal, and for 7 years he was the executive director of an education network uniting 7 schools. He has also founded 3 schools, including Guliverio Akademija together with Rūta Gustainienė.
He holds a Bachelor of Theology and a Master’s in Educational Administration from the University of New South Wales. He also completed programs at the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Management, as well as earned certification in group relations and change management from the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations. Stephen George Lee believes that the mission of a school leader is to create conditions in which teachers can work creatively and students can grow into curious, independent thinkers.
Director, Co-founder
A psychologist and educator with more than 20 years of professional experience in psychology, psychotherapy, and education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Psychological Counselling from City University London (now City St George’s, University of London). She also completed the group relations and change management program at the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations.
Rūta Gustainienė is an active developer of the bilingual school model. Her goal is to ensure that the Western Australian education program is meaningfully integrated with Lithuanian language, culture, and identity, so that children grow up feeling like citizens both of their own country and of the world.
She emphasizes that students’ intrinsic motivation grows when they see the meaning of learning. The Australian SCASA program, focused on individual student goals and the application of knowledge in the real world, fosters engagement, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Meaningful learning experiences not only help students retain information more effectively – they also inspire them to achieve more and continuously develop.
A Shared Vision
The leaders are united by their joint studies at the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations and a deep interest in group relations theory. They envision the school as a living community where education is based not only on content but also on experience – relationships, roles, and collaboration.
Guliverio Akademija operates according to principles drawn from the Tavistock model: every participant – student, teacher, or leader – is a learner, takes responsibility, explores their role, and develops self-awareness and leadership as a member of the group.
This approach is reflected in all aspects of school life – from classroom dynamics to community decision-making. It fosters an open, reflective, and conscious culture in which students not only gain knowledge but also learn to become responsible, creative, and committed individuals.