Al-Quds Open University
Encyclopedia
Al-Quds Open University is an administratively, academically and financially independent public university. According to the university's website, it was established in Amman, Jordan, by a decree issued by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and started operating in the Palestinian territories
in 1991.http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=4
QOU is the only open distance education
institute in the Palestinian territories. It has over 60,000 students studying in 24 educational regions and centers distributed all over the West Bank
and Gaza Strip
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in general alongside with preserving the society's values and traditions in the frame of modernity.
Al-Quds Open University is twinned with Goldsmiths Student Union in London, after Goldsmiths students passed a motion in support of Palestinians' right to education and began a Twinning Campaign to 'twin' their University with Al-Quds and secure two scholarships for two Al-Quds Open University students onto Goldsmiths courses. In May 2008 the Dean of Student Affairs equivalent of Al-Quds Student President visited Goldsmiths, spending a week with students and staff.
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
in 1991.http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=4
QOU is the only open distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
institute in the Palestinian territories. It has over 60,000 students studying in 24 educational regions and centers distributed all over the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
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Al-Quds Open University mission
QOU's (2005–2010) mission is summarized on its website http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=7 as follows:- Applying and spreading the philosophy of Open Distance Learning by implementing up-to-date methods of education, applying technical improvements, developing the university infrastructure and educational curricula with focus on students to be the center of the educational process.
- Extending Open Distance Education services to as many students as possible, granting BA and MSc degrees in varied programs in addition to Diploma in Education program.
- Providing students with moderate environment away from ideological and political conflicts, and encourage freedom of thinking and speech.
- Fulfilling the business market and society's needs by offering mostly needed academic programs, besides increasing focus on the practical application side of learning.
- Seeking to change the university to an electronic university. Having full commitment to the application of intensive quality principles, and needed qualified staff, financial support and training.
- Emphasizing cooperation and strong ties with the local, regional and international educational, social and economical institutions.
General goals
According to its website http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=3, its general goals are:- Deepening the commitment to the Open Distance Education philosophy and system, and keeping it up to date with science and technology.
- Encouraging academic freedom and freedom of thinking and speech
in general alongside with preserving the society's values and traditions in the frame of modernity.
- Emphasizing the importance of quality performance in all aspects according to the comprehensive quality plan.
- Preparing high-level students and providing them with knowledge and skills needed to continue learning, to take the initiative, to be creative and effective, and to be able to face the challenges and obstacles they encounter.
- Contributing to students' national and Arabic character and strengthening the sense of loyalty.
- Giving the chance for marginalized and less privileged groups of the society to pursue higher education.
- Keeping up to date with technology and expanding the usage of Information Technology and communication.
- Providing academic and professional programs that cover the needs of Palestinian society, keeping up with the international development in technology and knowledge, contributing in the improvement of higher education in Palestine and the region, and connecting the educational process to the requirements of constant human development.
Academic programs
The university offers five programs leading to BA Degree in Technology and Applied Sciences, Agriculture, Social and Family Development, Administrative and Economic Sciences, and Education.http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=8 The university has announced plans to create Post Graduate School in the near future.http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=3University centers
According to the University's website, the university has four centers. According to the European Institute for Research on Mediterranean and Euro-Arab Cooperation, these are "scattered throughout the Occupied Territories, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates".http://www.medea.be/?page=2&lang=en&doc=204- Information and Communication Technology Center (ICTC): This center considered of the most important centers that serve the university. It is responsible for the technical development, computerizing all administrative, academic, financial and productive works of the university.http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=52
- Avincenna Knowledge Center (Virtual University): This center is aims at boosting exchange methods of education and knowledge innovations through a network of electronic centers across the Mediterranean. About fifteen countries - including Palestine - participate in the project represented by QOU.http://avicenna.qou.edu/
- Continuing Education Center (CLC): This center was created in an attempt to deepen the university's educational message and the connections between academic knowledge and practical experience.http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=37
- Media Production Center: This center is responsible for producing educational multimedia to support the philosophy of distance education. The center uses the latest technologies for that purpose (i.e. audio-video, video editing units, graphics and filming.)http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=70
Achievements
Some achievements of the university are:- Increasing the number of students to 60,000 which makes it the biggest non-campus university in Palestine.
- Opening 24 educational regions and study centers in different parts of the country.
- The establishment of the biggest computerized network in Palestine by the ICTC which is an accredited testing center for specialized international certificates. It also has most of its systems and curricula computerized. The network, a partnership with the Palestinian Development Gateway, was funded by the Programme for Assistance to the Palestinian People, part of the United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Development ProgrammeThe United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/technology/3497918.stm - Being granted the recognition and membership of the most important higher education organizations and networks on the international and the regional level. Furthermore, the university has been through external evaluation and got high results.
Al-Quds Open University's membership in Arab and international educational unions
QOU has membership of the following Arabic and international unions:- Arabic Universities Union
- Islamic World Universities Union
- The International Assembly for Distance Learning
- Asian Union for Open Universities
- International Union for Universities
- The Arabic Organization for Education, Culture and Sciences
- The Arabic Network for Open and Distance Education
Al-Quds Open University is twinned with Goldsmiths Student Union in London, after Goldsmiths students passed a motion in support of Palestinians' right to education and began a Twinning Campaign to 'twin' their University with Al-Quds and secure two scholarships for two Al-Quds Open University students onto Goldsmiths courses. In May 2008 the Dean of Student Affairs equivalent of Al-Quds Student President visited Goldsmiths, spending a week with students and staff.