Abstract

This study compared Al-Quds Open University with the Arab Open University, targeting young learners in addition to adults, and tried to answer four questions. The first question dealt with the similarities and differences between these two universities and showed similarities in the degrees, most notably the bachelor’s degree, but differed in their organizational models. This study showed that Al-Quds Open University prepares its courses internally, while the Arab Open University develops some courses internally and others externally. These two universities employ asynchronous interactions on the internet. The second question dealt with the organizational models of virtual education, the most prominent of which was the adoption of blended education. The third question dealt with the quality of virtual university education, where the literature showed the difficulty of determining a definitive answer about the quality of this learning. The fourth question was about what made the virtual university successful. The most critical factors were using the principles of teaching science and adequate funding, having good technical infrastructure and strong electronic programs, a support system and professional applications, and individual property laws. The study included some recommendations to encourage virtual university education in the Arab world and to propose studies in this field.