The Open University of Israel Press

 
The Open University of Israel Press opened in 2013-2014. The new press, operating separately from the longstanding OUI Publishing House, which prints OUI course books, will publish original research and academic titles in all disciplines. During the year, the Editorial Board received dozens of manuscripts. Following a rigorous peer review process, four titles were approved for publication in 2016.
 
In the summer of 2014, the press announced the competition for the Goldberg Prizes for Exceptional Academic Manuscripts, one in the amount of NIS 50,000 for an exceptional manuscript by an author who has published at least one academic book in the past, and one in the amount of NIS 25,000 for an exceptional fledgling book. Two committees – one for each prize – were established with members from several universities to review the forty manuscripts submitted. Prof. Yoram Bilu won an award for his manuscript "'With Us More than Ever Before': Making the Absent Rebbe Present in Messianic Chabad." The award ceremony was held in October 2015.
 
The OUI Press is headed by Prof. Aviva Halamish, who is joined by Prof. Sarah Guri-Rosenblit, Prof. Amir Horowitz, and Prof. Motti Regev in representing the OUI on the editorial board. Prof. Yoav Yair of the OUI and the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Prof. Tamar El Or of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Prof. Mahmoud Ganaim of Tel Aviv University, Prof. Katrin Kogman-Appel of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Prof. Shezaf Rafaeli of the University of Haifa also serve on the editorial board. Lital Bechar-Avidan is the administrative coordinator.