Al-Quds Open University

University in Palestine

Al-Quds Open University (Arabic: جامعة القدس المفتوحة) is an independent, distance education public university in Palestine. It was created by a decree issued by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1991.^[1]

QOU is the first Open Learning institute in the Palestinian territories. It has 60,000 students studying in 19 branches and centers distributed all over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.^{[citation needed]}

In 2023, the university's facilities were destroyed by Israeli bombardment during the 2023 Israel–Hamas War.^[2][3]

Faculties

QOU has a Faculty of Graduate Studies, which leads to the master's degree in the following specializations:

• Arabic Language & Literature.
• Psychological & Educational Counseling.
• Digital Business Administration.
• Political Science.
• Education Technology and e-Learning.
• Strategic Management & Leadership.
• Applied Human Resource Management.
• Management and Public Policy.
• Information Technology.
• Special Education.
• Educational Supervision and Administration.
• Social Work.
• Teaching Social Science .
• Islamic Da'wa and International Relations in Islam .
• Family Counseling and Guidance.
• Applied Marketing Management.
• Accounting and Finance.
• Management of Media Institutions.
• Information Technology

The university has seven faculties leading to a BA Degree in:

• Technology and Applied Sciences.
• Agriculture.
• Social and Family Development.
• Administrative and Economic Sciences.
• Media.
• Arts.
• Educational sciences.

^[4] The university has announced plans to create Post Graduate School in the future.^[5]

University Centers

The university has six centers located in the Palestinian Territories, as follows:

• The Information and Communication Technology Center (ICTC) is responsible for the technical development, computerizing all administrative, academic, financial and productive works of the university.^[6]
• The Continuing Education Center (CEC) was created to make connections between academic knowledge and practical experience.^[7]
• Center for Digital Learning: The Center for Digital Learning aims to promote QOU’s philosophy of pairing traditional education with e-learning by utilizing digital technologies that provide a wide range of solutions for designing and developing educational programs using best practices and educational methods that adhere to high quality standards. The Center also assists students with accessing all digital educational resources and programs. Moreover, the Center provides faculty members with the required training and assistance to strategically integrate modern technologies into the educational process.

Achievements

• Al-Quds Educational Channel is the latest educational method of Al Quds Open University in the field of e learning.

Al-Quds Educational Channel Frequency (Nile sat 12645/horizontal/coding rate: 6/5)

• Century International Golden Quality Era Business Initiative Directions (BID) in 2015, a vanity award

^[8][9]

• Opening Faculty of Graduate Studies 2015/2016.
• Opening Faculty of Media, which offers media specialization.
• Increasing the number of students to 60,000 which makes it the biggest non-campus university in Palestine.
• Opening 19 branches and study centers.
• 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 Programme.^[10]

For more information about QOU achievements, see^[11]

Al-Quds Open University's membership in Arab and international educational unions

• Association of Arab Universities
• Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World

The university is twinned with Goldsmiths Student Union in London, UK.

See also

• List of Islamic educational institutions
• List of Palestinian universities
• Education in the Palestinian territories

References

1. "Al-Quds Open University". Archived from the original on 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
2. Sawahel, Wagdy (7 November 2023). "439 HE students and staff killed, universities hit in war". University World News. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
3. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (12 March 2024). "European academics condemn Israel's destruction of education system in Gaza". euromedmonitor.org. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
4. "Al-Quds Open University". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
5. "Al-Quds Open University". Archived from the original on 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
6. "Al-Quds Open University". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
7. http://www.qou.edu/homePage/english/index.jsp?pageId=37^{[permanent dead link]}
8. "International, Regional and Local Awards". Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
9. "أخبار الجامعة". Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
10. "Net aid for Palestinian students". 19 March 2004.
11. "Al-Quds Open University". Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2016-02-27.

External links

• University homepage (in Arabic)
• homepage (in Arabic)
• University homepage Archived 2012-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
• The Roles of Palestinian Intellectuals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: a project of the Alternative Information Center and Open University
• Canada
• Management Role of al Quds Open University

31°54′47″N 35°11′58″E / 31.91306°N 35.19944°E / 31.91306; 35.19944