Project 100

fall 2013

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SPOTLIGHTS
New Chancellor: From the Supreme Court to the Open University
A New President for the Open University
A Celebration: Lord Woolf's 80th Birthday

GRADUATES
Graduation Ceremonies
A Fighter Pilot and Researcher of Nanometer Threads
27 Years Old and Co-Founder of a Multi-Million Dollar Company

INNOVATION, RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
OUI Now MOOCs
Digital MBA
Once App on a Time
The Eighth Chais Conference
Caregivers, Caregiving and Emotional Intelligence
Exodus: The Real Story

ACCESS
Practical Solutions for Students with Disabilities
Project 100: A Program for Arab Minorities
Enriching Immams

EVENTS
A Taste of Academia: Coffee, Beer and Professors
OUI Students Argue Best
Inauguration of Academia in High School
American Friends of Open University

HIGHLIGHTS & MILESTONES
US Ambassador Visits OUI
Prof. Sara Guri-Rosenblit
Prof. Miri Soroujoun
Prof. Bat-Zion Iraqi-Klorman
Dr. Yuval Eylon
Prof. Yagil Levy
Dr. Tzahi Weiss
OUI in National Survey
OUI Grads
Co-editors: Elissa Allerhand, Ilene Bloch-Levy Photographer: Gideon Markowitz Graphic Designer: Laura Grinberg Web Manager: Batsheva Engelberg-Behr Web Master: Sonia Pechersky, Royi Gumprich

ACCESS
Project 100 ...continued from previous page. 100 Students When Project 100 was first advertised, the Open University of Israel was flooded with responses. But, the planning committee had agreed that as part of the pilot project, OUI would select only 100 students who meet established criteria. What are these criteria? Successful completion of high school. High motivation. The students must complete four semesters of studies. Students must have passed at least level 3 of their matriculation exams in math. They have some command of English. They plan on continuing with higher education, either at OUI or any other university of their choosing. Project 100 runs over the course of two consecutive, intensive years. Project participants may take upwards of 6 basic courses (the University has dubbed these "envelope" or "jacket" courses) designed to strengthen the basic fundamentals, before students move on to more difficult subjects. These courses are given in Arabic, but the textbooks are in Hebrew. The workbook assignments and exams, comparable to those given in Hebrew, are offered in Arabic. With so much in Arabic, will the students be able to make the transformation to academic Hebrew later on? As Yael explains, "the goal of this program is not to substitute Arabic for Hebrew, but rather to make it a bit easier for those who find the Hebrew curriculum exceedingly difficult and make it possible for them to integrate more smoothly in whatever academic track they choose to learn." Expanding Horizons The Open University of Israel's Project 100 is taking place in four learning centers and in each center, in addition to the basic curriculum that they have chosen, the students will have to agree on also studying some subject which would lead to viable employment and, at the same time, earn transferable credits. At OUI's Haifa Center, the 15 students are studying economics. At the University's Givat Haviva Center, the 25 students are studying the preliminary courses for social work. In Nazareth, the 29 students will be studying the preliminary program for nursing as will the 27 students in Beersheva. During the first two semesters the University will evaluate the project's effectiveness and implement any changes that need to be made in the second year. Upon successful completion of the track, the students will have an opportunity to take advantage of continuing on at the Open University, or continuing at another university in Israel. Ben-Gurion University will accept the students of the nursing program which they began at the Open University of Israel. Haifa University will accept the students of the programs in social work and economics. The Open University of Israel is completely committed to the success of Project 100 and has invested enormous resources in the project. Prof. Messer-Yaron says "we are investing 50,000 NIS in each of these students, which covers courses, workshops, and a monthly subsidy of 1,000 NIS so that the student can devote himself/herself fully to the study program. These scholarships are being funded by the Council forHigher Education's Committee of Budget and Finance, and private donors." What next? Yael Aran explains, "The Council for Higher Education plans on conducting a study comparing the achievements of the students in Project 100 vs. the students in other university pre-academic programs. If Project 100 proves itself, and students continue on to degree-granting programs after two years in Project 100, then Project 100 will become the standard for all other universities in Israel." Page: 1 2

ACCESS

...continued from previous page.

100 Students

When Project 100 was first advertised, the Open University of Israel was flooded with responses. But, the planning committee had agreed that as part of the pilot project, OUI would select only 100 students who meet established criteria.

What are these criteria? Successful completion of high school. High motivation. The students must complete four semesters of studies. Students must have passed at least level 3 of their matriculation exams in math. They have some command of English. They plan on continuing with higher education, either at OUI or any other university of their choosing.

Project 100 runs over the course of two consecutive, intensive years. Project participants may take upwards of 6 basic courses (the University has dubbed these "envelope" or "jacket" courses) designed to strengthen the basic fundamentals, before students move on to more difficult subjects. These courses are given in Arabic, but the textbooks are in Hebrew. The workbook assignments and exams, comparable to those given in Hebrew, are offered in Arabic.

With so much in Arabic, will the students be able to make the transformation to academic Hebrew later on? As Yael explains, "the goal of this program is not to substitute Arabic for Hebrew, but rather to make it a bit easier for those who find the Hebrew curriculum exceedingly difficult and make it possible for them to integrate more smoothly in whatever academic track they choose to learn."

Expanding Horizons

The Open University of Israel's Project 100 is taking place in four learning centers and in each center, in addition to the basic curriculum that they have chosen, the students will have to agree on also studying some subject which would lead to viable employment and, at the same time, earn transferable credits.

At OUI's Haifa Center, the 15 students are studying economics. At the University's Givat Haviva Center, the 25 students are studying the preliminary courses for social work. In Nazareth, the 29 students will be studying the preliminary program for nursing as will the 27 students in Beersheva.

During the first two semesters the University will evaluate the project's effectiveness and implement any changes that need to be made in the second year.

Upon successful completion of the track, the students will have an opportunity to take advantage of continuing on at the Open University, or continuing at another university in Israel. Ben-Gurion University will accept the students of the nursing program which they began at the Open University of Israel. Haifa University will accept the students of the programs in social work and economics.

The Open University of Israel is completely committed to the success of Project 100 and has invested enormous resources in the project. Prof. Messer-Yaron says "we are investing 50,000 NIS in each of these students, which covers courses, workshops, and a monthly subsidy of 1,000 NIS so that the student can devote himself/herself fully to the study program. These scholarships are being funded by the Council forHigher Education's Committee of Budget and Finance, and private donors."

What next? Yael Aran explains, "The Council for Higher Education plans on conducting a study comparing the achievements of the students in Project 100 vs. the students in other university pre-academic programs. If Project 100 proves itself, and students continue on to degree-granting programs after two years in Project 100, then Project 100 will become the standard for all other universities in Israel."

Page: 1 2