Open University of Israel
The Open University of Israel is a public distance-learning university headquartered in Ra'anana that delivers approximately 700 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs to a broad Israeli student base — including working adults, soldiers, and Arab and Haredi communities — via a hybrid online platform and nationwide learning center network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersRa'anana, Israel
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Open University of Israel does
The Open University of Israel (האוניברסיטה הפתוחה) is a public distance-learning university headquartered in Ra'anana, Israel, founded in 1974 and operating under the supervision of the Council for Higher Education. It is the country's primary open-access higher education institution, offering approximately 700 academic courses across undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional certificate programs in humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, business, computer science, education, and more. The university serves a broad student base that includes recent high school graduates, working adults, military personnel during and after service, Arab Israeli students, Haredi students, civil servants, and current teachers — with a flexible cumulative tuition (שמ"א) per-course-per-semester pricing model rather than a flat annual fee.
The institution's core technology is a multi-layered digital learning platform. The Shoham unit (שה"ם) operates the OPAL live-broadcast environment for online guidance sessions, integrates Zoom and OpHK for interactive video instruction, and runs the Shaal course-website system with discussion forums and digital textbooks. In-house video studios produce recorded lectures, and the digital identity registration system enables self-serve enrollment. A nationwide network of physical learning centers provides in-person guidance, exams, library access, and computer facilities, creating a hybrid online/physical delivery model that is unusual among Israeli universities and supports students who need both flexibility and face-to-face support.
The business model rests on four revenue streams: per-course tuition fees (the dominant stream, paid each semester and scaled to enrollment), optional enhanced guidance (הנחיה מוגברת) fees for higher-touch instruction, sales of textbooks and study materials through the Lamda (למדא) publishing house and bookstore, and library services. The university is publicly funded and does not have venture capital, private equity, or external investor involvement; it operates as a non-profit educational entity. Recent strategic activity has centered on AI-adjacent curriculum, including a 2024 Master's in Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics, a 2025 Bachelor's in Intelligent Systems Applications, and the public 'Learning Machines' podcast tied to research at the Neuro-BioMorphics Engineering Lab (NBEL).
Open University of Israel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open University of Israel
- Legal name
- Open University of Israel
- Website
- https://openu.ac.il
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Open University of Israel is a public distance-learning university headquartered in Ra'anana that delivers approximately 700 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs to a broad Israeli student base — including working adults, soldiers, and Arab and Haredi communities — via a hybrid online platform and nationwide learning center network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Open University of Israel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education (Distance Learning)
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)
Keywords
Where Open University of Israel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ra'anana
- HQ country
- Israel
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices2 records
Markets served
Open University of Israel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Course Tuition Fees: Students pay tuition per course per semester. Each course grants academic credit points (נקודות זכות). Tuition is calculated based on number of courses registered. The university operates on a cumulative tuition system (שמ'א) where students pay per course/semester rather than a flat annual fee.
- Enhanced Guidance Fees: Optional enhanced guidance (הנחיה מוגברת) is offered for most courses at additional cost, providing more frequent in-person or online sessions (2-3 hours nearly every week vs. 5-8 sessions per semester for regular guidance).
- Bookstore Sales (Lamda): The university operates Lamda (למדא) bookstore for selling textbooks, study guides, and supplementary materials. Books can be purchased through the Shaelta system or in-store.
- Library Services: Library services including book loans, article scanning and delivery, and inter-library loans are provided for a nominal fee through the Shaelta system.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-per-course tuition model with per-semester registration |
| Subscription | Per seat | Enhanced guidance option at additional cost |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Open University of Israel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Open University of Israel is a public distance-learning university offering undergraduate (bachelor's), graduate (master's), and doctoral (PhD) degree programs, as well as teaching certificates and professional diploma courses, delivered through self-study with guided sessions via a proprietary digital learning platform (Shoham/OPAL) and Zoom. Students can study at their own pace from anywhere in Israel, supported by a network of regional learning centers, online guidance sessions, academic counseling, and the Lamda publishing/bookstore for course materials.
Product overview
The Open University of Israel operates a multi-layered digital education platform built around its core distance learning management system (course websites via Shoham, OPAL learning environment, Zoom and OpHK-based online guidance, and a catalog of ~700 courses). This core is augmented by specialized modules: the Shoham unit (video studios, learning analytics, digital books), the Research Portal (CRIS-based institutional research management), the Digital Humanities Hub, Open University Radio, and Lamda Bookstore and Press. The university also produces public-facing media products including three named podcasts — 'Adraba' (with Galey Tzahal), 'Learning Machines' (ML research), and 'Data to Dispute' — plus the Chais annual learning technology conference. The product portfolio is fundamentally a platform-plus-services model where the LMS infrastructure serves as the backbone for academic degree programs (bachelor's through doctoral, plus certificates and teaching programs), while supporting public engagement through research portals, publications, and podcasts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bachelor's Degree Programs (Undergraduate)
- Master's Degree Programs (Graduate)
- Doctoral (PhD) Programs
- Bachelor's Degree in Intelligent Systems Applications (תואר ראשון ביישומי מערכות נבונות)
- Master's Degree in Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics (תואר שני בלמידת מכונה וניתוח נתוני עתק)
- Teaching Certificate Programs (תעודת הוראה)
- Certificate and Diploma Programs (לימודי תעודה)
- Enhanced Guidance (הנחייה מוגברת)
- Lamda Bookstore and Press (למדא)
- Library Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 20% higher earnings for graduates compared to average
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Open University of Israel
Customer profileSegments9 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Open University of Israel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature4 records
Open University of Israel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Open University of Israel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED): Spain's primary national distance-learning university, offering accredited degrees across disciplines to a large distributed student population. Comparable in scale, public status, and distance-first delivery model.
- The Open University (UK): The UK's largest academic institution and a leading dedicated distance-learning university, awarding undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees. The most direct global analogue to the Open University of Israel's mission, delivery model, and scale.
- University of South Africa (UNISA): Africa's largest open distance learning university, offering a broad catalog of accredited undergraduate and postgraduate programs to a distributed student base. Closely comparable in scale, catalog breadth, and dedicated distance-learning mission.
- Athabasca University: Canada's leading online distance-learning university, primarily serving adult and working learners with flexible undergraduate and graduate programs. Highly comparable in mission, model, and student profile.
- Western Governors University: A US nonprofit, competency-based online university focused on working adults with flexible, accredited degree programs. Comparable in technology-enabled, outcomes-focused distance-learning model and adult-learner target market.
Regional players
- Anadolu University Open Education Faculty: Turkey's largest open and distance education provider, delivering associate and bachelor's programs to millions of students in a regional market. Comparable in dedicated distance-learning mission with regional/linguistic proximity to Israel.
Emerging players
- Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU): A US private nonprofit university with a large online division serving adult learners globally. Comparable in scale of online operations and emphasis on flexible, career-oriented degree programs.
Broad incumbents
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem: Israel's flagship public research university, increasingly offering online and hybrid extensions. Competes for the same Israeli students, particularly in advanced degrees and AI/ML where the Open University has launched new programs.
- Tel Aviv University: A leading Israeli public research university with expanding online and continuing-education programs. Direct domestic competitor in higher education credentials, particularly in technology and business.
- Coursera: A global online learning platform partnering with universities to offer accredited degrees, certificates, and courses. Represents the broader shift toward online credentialing that competes with the Open University of Israel's core delivery model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Open University of Israel social profiles
Digital presenceOpen University of Israel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open University of Israel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Open University of Israel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open University of Israel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Open University of Israel
What does Open University of Israel do?
The Open University of Israel is a public distance-learning university offering undergraduate (bachelor's), graduate (master's), and doctoral (PhD) degree programs, as well as teaching certificates and professional diploma courses, delivered through self-study with guided sessions via a proprietary digital learning platform (Shoham/OPAL) and Zoom. Students can study at their own pace from anywhere in Israel, supported by a network of regional learning centers, online guidance sessions, academic counseling, and the Lamda publishing/bookstore for course materials.
Is Open University of Israel a public or private company?
Open University of Israel is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Open University of Israel founded?
Open University of Israel was founded in 1976.
Where is Open University of Israel based?
Open University of Israel is headquartered in Ra'anana, Israel, in the Middle East region.
How does Open University of Israel make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Course Tuition Fees are the primary driver. The others are enhanced Guidance Fees, bookstore Sales (Lamda) and library Services.
Who are Open University of Israel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), The Open University (UK), University of South Africa (UNISA), Athabasca University and Western Governors University. Anadolu University Open Education Faculty is listed as a regional player. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University and Coursera.
Does Open University of Israel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open University of Israel.
What industry is Open University of Israel in?
Open University of Israel's product category is Higher Education (Distance Learning). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHALAA, Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting), with a secondary code of EDAHABAA, Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary). Its NAICS code is 61131 and its SIC code is 8200.