Academic Commandos

Previous issues

INITIATIVES
Academic Commandos

RESEARCH
Open Research Day
Dealing With Stress, the Natural Way
Setting the Computer's Sights
Democracy is Not the Key to Peace in the Middle East
Islam and Christianity
Punctuating Mozart
Reshaping Distance Education

TECHNOLOGY
E-reader
Hybrid Books

GRADUATES
Prof. Gidi Gross: Cancer Researcher
Israel Adam: From Slum Alcoholic to Honors Student and a Master's Degree
All Doors Opened to Elishai Ezra
The Open University as His Greatest Challenge in Life: Sharli Afanger

STUDENTS
Walking in Their Footsteps in Ashdod
University Student Since 8th Grade

MILESTONES
Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron
Prof. Ron Weidberg
Dr. Yuval Eylon
Dr. Adia Mendelsohn-Maoz
Prof. Aviva Halamish
Dr. Ophir Munz-Manor
Dr. Baruch Ziv
Dr. Milly Perry
Dr. Yoav Yair
SuperBrand University

EVENTS
Dance with Your Fears
Heavens Above

INITIATIVES
Academic Commandos The IDF's Elite Academic Program with the OU Surrounded by soldiers participating in the Open University's Academic Commandos project are (from left to right, center row): Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazy, Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron, President of the Open University, President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres, and Minister of Education, Gideon Sa'ar. "This is a big gift for me. The fact that they are taking me directly from army service and granting me a year of academic studies is a big boost for me towards a university degree. This is simply amazing." Shai, Staff Sergeant Hand-picked combat soldiers traded in their bullet-proof vests for laptops. They are studying at the Open University while in their final stretch of military service in a special joint program, initiated by President Shimon Peres and run by the Open University in cooperation with the Israeli Army. When Shimon Peres was first elected President of Israel he shared his vision for Israel’s future with the public. Among his many ideas was to create a program to ensure that combat soldiers are able to earn an academic degree while still in active military duty. His thinking? "In ten years time, the world will be completely different thanks to advancements in science. The Israeli army needs to be part of that revolutionary change." There was a good deal of fanfare, but transforming the idea – brilliant and ambitious as it was – into a practical, workable program took the help of many different bodies, the Open University of Israel being one of the leading ones. Prof. Judith Gal-Ezer, Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Open University, explains "When President Shimon Peres decided to create an elite academic program for soldiers, the only institution that was able to answer the entire spectrum of needs was the Open University of Israel." Academic Commandos, as the pilot program is being called, is a joint endeavor with the Open University of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Ministry of Education, the Defense Ministry, Beit Hanassi (President's Residence), and the Libi Fund. When the program was first announced there were a few hundred applicants, but, says Prof. Gal-Ezer, "having established a number of strict criteria, only the best and the brightest were chosen." Page: 1 2

INITIATIVES

Academic Commandos

The IDF's Elite Academic Program with the OU

Surrounded by soldiers participating in the Open University's Academic Commandos project are (from left to right, center row): Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazy, Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron, President of the Open University, President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres, and Minister of Education, Gideon Sa'ar.

"This is a big gift for me. The fact that they are taking me directly from army service and granting me a year of academic studies is a big boost for me towards a university degree. This is simply amazing."

Shai, Staff Sergeant

Hand-picked combat soldiers traded in their bullet-proof vests for laptops. They are studying at the Open University while in their final stretch of military service in a special joint program, initiated by President Shimon Peres and run by the Open University in cooperation with the Israeli Army.

When Shimon Peres was first elected President of Israel he shared his vision for Israel’s future with the public. Among his many ideas was to create a program to ensure that combat soldiers are able to earn an academic degree while still in active military duty. His thinking? "In ten years time, the world will be completely different thanks to advancements in science. The Israeli army needs to be part of that revolutionary change."

There was a good deal of fanfare, but transforming the idea – brilliant and ambitious as it was – into a practical, workable program took the help of many different bodies, the Open University of Israel being one of the leading ones.

Prof. Judith Gal-Ezer, Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Open University, explains "When President Shimon Peres decided to create an elite academic program for soldiers, the only institution that was able to answer the entire spectrum of needs was the Open University of Israel."

Academic Commandos, as the pilot program is being called, is a joint endeavor with the Open University of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Ministry of Education, the Defense Ministry, Beit Hanassi (President's Residence), and the Libi Fund.

When the program was first announced there were a few hundred applicants, but, says Prof. Gal-Ezer, "having established a number of strict criteria, only the best and the brightest were chosen."

Page: 1 2