User:QOU

Al-Quds Open University (QOU)
Al-Quds Open University is an administratively, academically and financially independent public university. It was established in Amman by a decree issued by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and started operating in Palestine in 1991.

QOU is the only open distance education institute in Palestine. It is considered the largest university that has over 60,000 students studying in 24 educational regions and centers distributed all over the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Introduction
Despite all obstacles and challenges the Palestinians have been facing, the university was able to accomplish many of its duties and aims. It endeavors to improve the academic level and the social message it delivers.

Due to the flexibility and to the quality of its educational system, there are now over than 60,000 students registered at the university. The university has twenty-two educational regions and study centers spreading all over the country, in addition to two educational centers in Saudi Arabia and an office in Amman, Jordan.

Al-Quds Open University adopts Open Distance Education System to deliver knowledge to all society members, regardless of their backgrounds. It also puts its scientific and specialized training centers in the hands of its students and society members, to contribute in the empowerment of their technological skills and knowledge. The university works on creating graduates who are able to build national institutions based on their abilities and qualifications leading to the Palestinian dream of freedom, independence and justice.

Al-Quds Open University Mission
QOU's (2005-2010) mission is summarized as follows:
 * 1) 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.
 * 2) 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.
 * 3) Providing students with moderate environment away from ideological and political conflicts, and encourage freedom of thinking and speech.
 * 4) Fulfilling the business market and society's needs by offering mostly needed academic programs, besides increasing focus on the practical application side of learning.
 * 5) 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.
 * 6) Emphasizing cooperation and strong ties with the local, regional and international educational, social and economical institutions.

General goals
in general alongside with preserving the society's values and traditions in the frame of modernity.
 * 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
 * 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 as follows:

Technology and Applied Sciences
 * Computer Information System (CIS)
 * Information Technology and Communication

Agriculture Program
 * Production and Protection of Plants
 * Animal Production

Social and Family Development
 * Social Services

Administrative and Economic Sciences
 * Business Administration
 * Accounting
 * Economics
 * Finance
 * Marketing

Education Program
 * Primary Education
 * Islamic Education
 * Arabic Language
 * English Language
 * Mathematics
 * Sociology

In addition to that, the university offers Diploma in Education. The university plans to create Post Graduate School in the near future.

Languages used The main language is Arabic. However, English Language is used as a main or secondary language in some courses. French classes have recently been offered.

University Centers
Information and Communications 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. It also insures that they are used efficiently in order to provide quality services in accordance with the university's vision and mission.

Ibn Sina Center for Knowledge (Virtual University): This center is an ambitious project aimed 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.

Continuous Learning Center (CLC): This center was created in an attempt to deepening the university's educational message and the connections between academic knowledge and practical experience; in other words, to fulfill the university's message in serving the community. The CLC constantly gives courses and training needed to enhance individual, collective and organizational skills.

Educational Multimedia Production Unit: 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.)

Achievements
The academic staff alongside the administrative and technical staffs have dedicated themselves since the establishment of the university to contribute to human development and educate society in an attempt to achieve self-independency. The aim was clear and all the efforts were targeting it. Some of the achievements are:
 * 1) Increasing the number of students to 60,000 which makes it the biggest non-campus university in Palestine.
 * 2) Opening 24 educational regions and study centers in different parts of the country.
 * 3) 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.
 * 4) Improving the quality of education by following some procedures related to integrating IT and supporting educational multimedia, and the production of tens of university curricula.
 * 5) 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 Unions QOU is privileged to have the membership of the following Arabic and international unions:
 * 1) Arabic Universities Union
 * 2) Islamic World Universities Union
 * 3) The International Assembly for Distance Learning
 * 4) Asian Union for Open Universities
 * 5) International Union for Universities
 * 6) The Arabic Organization for Education, Culture and Sciences
 * 7) The Arabic Network for Open and Distance Education