Al-Quds Open University

What Al-Quds Open University does

Al-Quds Open University is a Palestinian public open/distance learning institution headquartered in Jerusalem, operating 17 branch campuses across every governorate of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It serves primarily Palestinian students through undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across seven faculties: Technology and Applied Sciences, Agriculture, Social and Family Development, Administrative and Economic Sciences, Educational Sciences, Media, and Arts. The university explicitly designs for accessibility — tuition is priced at the low end of the market, all Gaza students receive free tuition, and 102 scholarships are disbursed annually to students in financial hardship.

The institution's core technology is a Digital Learning Platform anchored by the Center for Digital Learning (CDL), which integrates multiple sub-systems: an ECourse LMS for course delivery and assessment, a Digital Repository (DSpace) for research archives, QOU Tube for video-based lecture content, QOU SlideShare for presentation sharing, and an Educational Film Library. Operational portals include Student, Administrative, and Academic Advising portals. A Digital Transformation Center and Q Innovation Hub in Nablus extend the platform into applied innovation and entrepreneurship.

Revenue is generated through tuition and fees (recurring), continuing-education professional diplomas (one-time), and an International Program (recurring). Distribution is hybrid: 17 physical branches plus self-serve digital channels, supported by social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), WhatsApp, and event-driven outreach through career fairs and municipality partnerships. Notable institutional partnerships include the Palestinian Ministry of Labor and Germany's GIZ for digital job-market readiness, DAAD for Master's scholarships, Erasmus+, and the BREEDTECH agricultural-technology project in Sweden.

Name

Al-Quds Open University

Legal name

Al-Quds Open University (جامعة القدس المفتوحة)

Website

https://qou.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Al-Quds Open University is a Palestinian public open/distance learning institution operating 17 branch campuses across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across seven faculties through integrated digital learning platforms, primarily serving Palestinian students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Open and Distance Learning)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Public Virtual & Blended Learning Programs (District-Run) (EDAJAAAI)

Keywords

• Distance higher education
• Open university programs
• Digital learning platforms
• Continuing professional education
• Undergraduate graduate degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Busia

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The university generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged to students for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The university emphasizes low tuition costs with financial aid available to students in financial hardship.
2. Continuing Education Programs: Professional diplomas and continuing education courses offered through the Continuing Education Center (cec.qou.edu) provide additional revenue streams for specialized professional training programs.
3. International Program: The International Learning Program (ilp.qou.edu) offers specialized programs with potential for international student enrollment and associated fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Al-Quds Open University is a public open and distance learning university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral academic programs through 17 branch campuses across Palestine and a digital learning ecosystem. It offers professional diplomas via its Continuing Education Center and an International Program for global learners, with free education provided to Gaza students and scholarship support for students in financial hardship.

Product overview

Al-Quds Open University operates as an open/distance learning institution with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core educational delivery system includes the Digital Learning Center (CDL) with integrated sub-platforms: the Electronic Course (ECourse) LMS, Digital Repository (DSpace) for research archives, QOU Tube video platform, QOU SlideShare for presentations, and the Educational Film Library. Supporting infrastructure includes Student and Administrative Portals, Academic Advising System, and Scientific Journals platform. The university offers academic programs at diploma, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels across seven faculties (Technology, Agriculture, Social Development, Business/Economics, Educational Sciences, Media, Arts), delivered through 18 physical branches across Palestine. The Q Innovation Hub supports entrepreneurship, while the International Program and Continuing Education divisions extend reach beyond traditional programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QOU SlideShare: Educational slidesharing platform
• QOU Tube
• Q Innovation Hub
• Center for Digital Learning (CDL)
• Continuing Education Center (CEC)
• Palestinian Folk Heritage Center (Jafra)
• Digital Content Repository (DSpace)
• Electronic Course (eCourse)
• Seraj Al-Khayr (سراج الخير)

Products and services

• Digital Learning Platform (Center for Digital Learning, CDL) Central hub for online and blended digital education across all university programs and branches, integrating the LMS, digital repository, video and slide platforms, and academic advising tools for students.
• Electronic Course (ECourse) LMS Learning management system used to deliver course materials, assignments, assessments, and track student progress across the university.
• Digital Repository (DSpace, Osoul) Institutional repository that preserves and provides access to academic research, theses, dissertations, and scholarly works produced by the university.
• QOU Tube (Educational Video Platform) Video hosting and streaming platform hosting educational films, lecture recordings, and teaching content for student consumption.
• QOU SlideShare Platform for sharing educational presentations and lecture slides created by faculty and students.
• Educational Film Library Repository of educational films and video content organized by subject area for classroom and self-directed learning.
• Bachelor's Degree Programs Undergraduate degree programs across multiple disciplines including Business Administration, Education, Arts, Sciences, Technology, and Social Sciences, delivered through blended learning.
• Master's Degree Programs Graduate degree programs at the master's level offered across various faculties, with 20+ programs available.
• Doctoral Degree Programs Doctoral degree programs offered in selected academic specializations, with 3 programs available.
• International Program (ILP) International program offering globally accessible educational opportunities and partnerships for international students.
• Continuing Education and Community Service (CEC) Professional development diplomas and continuing education courses for community engagement, lifelong learning, and career transition.
• Faculty of Technology and Applied Sciences Programs Technology programs including AI and applications, Computer Science, Information Systems, ICT, Mathematics, Sciences, Multimedia and Graphic Design, Web Technologies, and Information Security.
• Q Innovation Hub (Nablus) Innovation center launched in Nablus to foster entrepreneurship, technology development, and student innovation projects.
• Scientific Journals Platform Peer-reviewed academic journals published by the university for scholarly research dissemination.
• Digital Transformation Center University division dedicated to implementing digital transformation initiatives across campus operations.
• ICT Center (Information and Communications Technology Center) University center providing information and communications technology services and infrastructure support to operations and students.
• University Digital Library Comprehensive digital library system for academic research and study resources, accessible to students and faculty.

Quantifiable outcome

• 102 scholarships provided annually to support student education
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dura MunicipalityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2026Memorandum of understanding to develop partnership and enhance opportunities for professional and technical education development.
• Yabous Applied College (كلية يبوس التطبيقية)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Yabous Applied College for collaborative academic programs and educational initiatives in Palestine.
• Northern Technical University, IraqminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Letter of intent signed to strengthen strategic partnership and promote academic collaboration between the two institutions.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026DAAD scholarship program for Master's degree studies, providing opportunities for Palestinian students to pursue graduate education in Germany.
• Ministry of Labor and GIZcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership between Al-Quds Open University, Palestinian Ministry of Labor, and GIZ (German development agency) to implement a project preparing graduates for the digital job market. The project focuses on bridging the gap between academic education and market requirements.
• BREEDTECH Project (Sweden)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025International collaboration on the BREEDTECH project with participation in the 4th administrative meeting held in Sweden. The project involves agricultural technology research and development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arab Open University:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=CRaU7wGTSuY&list=PLvA33gnBAzYA716MJJvC9Dt2m_3e5jaQA
• Facebookfacebook.com/QouChannel
• Instagraminstagram.com/qouchannel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/al-quds-open-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Al-Quds Open University