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 ...continued from previous page. Surrounded by soldiers participating in the Open University's Academic Commandos project are (first row, left to right) Prof. Judith Gal-Ezer, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron, President of Open University, surrounded by student-soldiers. "This is an important project with many important benefits. We are getting a big push towards studies." Assaf, Staff Sergeant The IDF demanded that participants have excellent marks on math matriculation exams (taken in the last years of high school), high motivation and recommendations from commanding officers. All participants underwent a series of individual interviews, commited to an intensive academic program and were a few months away from completing military service. The program was quietly launched in April 2010 when 43 male and 5 female hand-picked combat soldiers traded in their guns for laptops, 13 hours a day, five days a week. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be able to take advantage of a number of opportunities to continue their studies, either at the Open University or at other universities (as per agreements established with the Open University through the University’s special "Bridges to Other Universities" program.) The Open University is providing a 50% scholarship which is matched by the Ministry of Defense. For more than 20 years, the Open University has enjoyed cooperative agreements with the IDF. Since 1999, the University has given preferential treatment to IDF soldiers: providing 50% scholarships to active combat soldiers and 10% to non-combat soldiers. With Academic Commandos showing great promise, the Open University is "investigating other divisions in the army and looking into other possible options," explains Prof. Gal-Ezer. Prof. Gal-Ezer summarizes, "This all fits in with how I envision the mission of the Open University: to serve as a gateway to higher education, while concomitantly, thanks to our unique learning methods, maintaining a high level of studies." Page: 1 2

INITIATIVES

Academic Commandos

The IDF's Elite Academic Program with the OU

...continued from previous page.

Surrounded by soldiers participating in the Open University's Academic Commandos project are (first row, left to right) Prof. Judith Gal-Ezer, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron, President of Open University, surrounded by student-soldiers.

"This is an important project with many important benefits. We are getting a big push towards studies."

Assaf, Staff Sergeant

The IDF demanded that participants have excellent marks on math matriculation exams (taken in the last years of high school), high motivation and recommendations from commanding officers. All participants underwent a series of individual interviews, commited to an intensive academic program and were a few months away from completing military service.

The program was quietly launched in April 2010 when 43 male and 5 female hand-picked combat soldiers traded in their guns for laptops, 13 hours a day, five days a week.

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be able to take advantage of a number of opportunities to continue their studies, either at the Open University or at other universities (as per agreements established with the Open University through the University’s special "Bridges to Other Universities" program.)

The Open University is providing a 50% scholarship which is matched by the Ministry of Defense.

For more than 20 years, the Open University has enjoyed cooperative agreements with the IDF. Since 1999, the University has given preferential treatment to IDF soldiers: providing 50% scholarships to active combat soldiers and 10% to non-combat soldiers.

With Academic Commandos showing great promise, the Open University is "investigating other divisions in the army and looking into other possible options," explains Prof. Gal-Ezer.

Prof. Gal-Ezer summarizes, "This all fits in with how I envision the mission of the Open University: to serve as a gateway to higher education, while concomitantly, thanks to our unique learning methods, maintaining a high level of studies."

Page: 1 2