Education for empowerment: The Arab Open University and Arab society

Mohammad Abu-Qudais and Jehad Al-Sadi
Arab Open University
Jordan

Open universities in the Arab region are modern and technologically advanced centres of learning, rooted in solid educational and cultural foundations, which allows them to play a pivotal role in the development of Arab societies by equipping their students with advanced education. The mission of the Arab Open University (AOU) is to deliver up-to-date education, enrich human knowledge and accelerate the social and economic transformations of our society through the academic studies offered and the training of highly specialized personnel in basic and applied fields. Being the first in the Arab world to adopt open learning, the AOU aims at promoting an open system of higher education that provides opportunities for professional development and lifelong learning. It commits itself to giving students a quality education, providing higher education to the widest possible spectrum of learners, and furnishing society with leaders who can help promote the cultural, educational and social aspects of life. AOU emphasizes independent learning, thus encouraging students to rely on themselves and develop their skills. This paper focuses on the educational strategies of AOU and its role in society, including solving the problem of educating large numbers of students by adopting open learning methods that save resources, cost and time.