Since its establishment in 1974, the Open University of Israel has been committed to academic excellence and the promotion of access to higher education for all of Israeli society. These goals remain the essence of the OUI.
In 1971, the Minister of Education and Culture at the time, Igal Allon, appointed a committee chaired by Professor Shneior Lifson, to examine the idea of the establishment of an open university in Israel, following the model of the Open University UK. Yad Hanadiv (Rothschild) Foundation endorsed the idea and offered to fund its establishment. in 1973, the government and the CHE decided to establish a “university for all.”
In 1976, the OUI opened its doors in the Ramat Aviv neighborhood of Tel Aviv, with a student body numbering 2,267. Five courses were offered. At that time, the university employed 130 staff members, including nine senior faculty members and 31 faculty members. On November 19, 1995, an agreement was signed between the university and the Ra'anana municipality and the construction of the main university campus began. The cornerstone laying ceremony was held in October 2000, and in 2004 the construction of the Dorothy de Rothschild Open University campus was completed.
For more than fifty years, the OUI has empowered students by providing flexible higher education that accommodates a wide range of personal and professional obligations. This innovative approach has transformed the educational landscape in Israel. It has elevated the level of the workforce and created new opportunities for those facing economic challenges by fostering upward social mobility and enhancing career prospects. an OUI degree represents a standard of excellence, reflecting the advanced skills and potential of its graduates.