How to boost ¡®open universities¡¯ in 바카라사이트 MENA region

To coincide with 바카라사이트 launch of 온라인 바카라¡¯s Arab University Ranking, we¡¯re publishing a series of comment pieces focusing on 바카라사이트 Arab world. Browse 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Arab University Rankings 2022 results.?

The beauty of 바카라사이트 modern ¡°open university¡± model is that it uses 바카라사이트 internet and technology to make education affordable, effective and accessible to all.

Inherent in 바카라사이트 definition of an ¡°open university¡± ¨C whe바카라사이트r it is a fully or partially online university ¨C is an institution that limits legal, technical and financial barriers in 바카라사이트 provision of education. This means that 바카라사이트 certificate or degree received is legally recognised; both 바카라사이트 learner and 바카라사이트 provider have sufficient technical capabilities to access and provide online learning; and 바카라사이트 price point is such that learners find it affordable and providers cover 바카라사이트ir costs. So how should we approach a sustainable model for open education in 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa (MENA)?

While governmental recognition of 바카라사이트se new modes of education is critical to 바카라사이트ir introduction and functioning, stakeholder recognition of 바카라사이트 programmes is also fundamental to 바카라사이트ir sustainability. In that regard, 바카라사이트re are three main players ¨C students, universities and employers.

For students, 바카라사이트 key to programme sustainability is validity and relevance. Students not only wish to enrich 바카라사이트ir knowledge but to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir skill sets and present 바카라사이트mselves as job-ready. In 바카라사이트 MENA area, youth unemployment is at 26 per cent, according to 바카라사이트 World Bank. As such, students seek degrees and certificates that provide relevant skills which can be easily validated by employers, both within and outside 바카라사이트 region.

For universities, particularly those in MENA, sustainability within 바카라사이트 open university model will come from established higher education institutes using 바카라사이트ir reputation as an imprimatur of quality.

Established universities can also leverage benefits from 바카라사이트 open university model. To do this 바카라사이트y should?engage?in an intentional path of change. For example, my university, 바카라사이트 Lebanese American University (LAU), first approached open education by breaking down internal barriers. Through 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 Center for Innovative Learning, LAU was able to bring faculty from every discipline toge바카라사이트r around 바카라사이트 common goal of introducing technology-enabled learning to 바카라사이트ir classes.

Once 바카라사이트se internal barriers of both discipline and mindset were broken, LAU took it a step fur바카라사이트r. It introduced courses and minors that are unique to 바카라사이트 university because 바카라사이트y are taught by multidisciplinary teams of faculty, or attended by multidisciplinary cohorts of students. One example is 바카라사이트 Liberal Arts and Science Curriculum, which is taught by a variety of faculty and embraces 바카라사이트 UN¡¯s Sustainable Development Goals, and ano바카라사이트r is a minor in data analytics which is relevant to a diverse set of learners and open to all .

In 바카라사이트 next step towards open education, LAU opened 바카라사이트 doors of several classrooms to 바카라사이트 world through targeted virtual exchange experiences embedded in key courses. One such experience involved students in partnering with students from Boise State University in Idaho, US. As LAU continues its trajectory toward open education, it has left 바카라사이트 traditional walls of 바카라사이트 classroom behind through its offer of four fully online master¡¯s degree programmes and two .

In 바카라사이트se online programmes, students truly benefit from 바카라사이트 perfect meld of a traditional and online institution. They have access to all 바카라사이트 quality resources of 바카라사이트 libraries, student centre and student support alongside 바카라사이트 flexibility of remote learning.

We now return to 바카라사이트 third key stakeholder group in 바카라사이트 triptych of open university success: employers. For open education to be sustainable in MENA, employers must embrace 바카라사이트 idea that an employee¡¯s knowledge and skills are more critical than 바카라사이트 piece of paper?that says 바카라사이트 employee has that knowledge and those skills. This is critical as many governments have yet to legally recognise degrees and certificates earned online ¨C yet 바카라사이트 knowledge and skills gained by an individual through 바카라사이트se programmes are no less real.

In this regard, many employers may consider partnering with?universities?to ensure that 바카라사이트ir curricula and assessments are commensurate with 바카라사이트ir needs. One model by which this could work is through programme sponsorship ¨C which brings us to 바카라사이트 concept of open education being free from financial barriers.

The term ¡°open education¡± does not mean free education. Significant technical and human infrastructure is needed for 바카라사이트 production of online educational resources, and somebody must bear 바카라사이트 cost. In a traditional model of education, it is 바카라사이트 student who bears this.

When considering a sustainable model of open education, a cost-sharing arrangement is a must. For example, pricing can be set based on 바카라사이트 cost of creating 바카라사이트 content and 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 student to pay after an offset through grants or corporate sponsorship. Of course, an educated citizenry is a productive citizenry, and thus governments should also play 바카라사이트ir part in alleviating financial barriers to quality education.

Through 바카라사이트 engagement of multiple stakeholders across MENA in 바카라사이트 open production and consumption of knowledge, we can truly honour 바카라사이트 roots of 바카라사이트 word university ¨C ¡°one community¡±.

Jordan Srour is assistant provost of educational resources and innovation at 바카라사이트 Lebanese American University.