The short answer
Who owns Arab Open University, and what does it run?
AOU was founded as a non-profit development project under the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) on the initiative of the late Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and its 2023-24 annual report names Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud as chairman of the board of trustees. From its Kuwait headquarters it runs branches in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan and Palestine, and its website also lists Morocco.
Ownership and business model
The Arab Open University (AOU) is not a company. Its 2023-2024 annual report, published in Arabic, says it was founded as a non-profit development project under the umbrella of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), on the initiative of the late Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Prince Talal announced the initiative in 1996, and the university began in October 2002 in Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan, in cooperation with the Open University in the UK. The report names Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud as chairman of the board of trustees. Prof. Mohammad Al-Zakari is President.
AOU teaches through a blended system that includes face-to-face classes. For the academic year from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024 the report shows total revenue of US$180.9m against operating and capital spending of US$102.7m. It counted 62,612 continuing students, 5,827 graduates and 1,031 staff that year, and says it was preparing for an institutional review by the UK Quality Assurance Agency scheduled for May to July 2024.
Institutions it runs
As listed by Arab Open University on its own pages. See the sources below.
Key people
- PAProf. Mohammad Al-ZakariPresident
- PAProf. Naif AlmutairiVice President for Academic Affairs & Scientific Research
- PAProf. Omar Al-JarrahVice President for Planning and Development
As listed on Arab Open University: Top Management.
Key dates
- 1996
- Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud announces his initiative to found an Arab open university
- 2002
- University launched in October, starting in Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan in cooperation with the Open University (UK)
- 2003
- Branches in Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia follow in February
- 2008
- Oman branch opens in February
- 2013
- Sudan branch opens in September
- 2018
- Palestine branch opens
- 2024
- Institutional review by the UK Quality Assurance Agency scheduled for May to July, according to the annual report
Questions readers ask
Who owns Arab Open University?
AOU is a non-profit university founded under the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) on the initiative of the late Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Its 2023-24 annual report names Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud as chairman of the board of trustees.
How many students does Arab Open University have?
Its 2023-2024 annual report counts 62,612 continuing students across all degree levels. Its admission page gives an undated figure of around 37,900.
Which universities does Arab Open University run?
AOU is one university, headquartered in Kuwait and has branches in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan and Palestine; its admission page also lists Morocco.