When the Reality Surpasses the Vision
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From Vision to Reality When the Reality Surpasses the Vision Naming the campus for its founding Chancellor, Dorothy de Rothschild, thirty years after the Open University’s inception, inspires some fundamental soul-searching, stock-taking and raises the question: How does the reality of today’s Open University compare with the vision of its founders? The theme of the dedication ceremonies was – When the Reality Surpasses the Vision. In a festive album on its work and in a multimedia presentation, the Open University explored its role in higher education in Israel. The album opens: As the Open University marks this momentous milestone in its history, the move of an entire campus to a new location, a rare and special moment – We take this opportunity to look back to our beginnings 30 years ago – the concept, the vision, the monumental decision to establish a university; Dorothy de Rothschild We take stock of where we are now and what we have accomplished – and explore the questions: How does the University measure up to expectations; has it achieved the vision of its founders – or perhaps even exceeded their dream? The Vision a legacy passed from generation to The Rothschild Commission called The vision was a combination generation and addressing virtually for an institution that would offer of circumstances, the needs of a every important dimension of life a real alternative to existing options; growing State of Israel and several in Israel. Yigal Allon approached offer a “second chance to those who distinguished personalities blessed Dorothy de Rothschild, Chairman of missed out on earlier opportunities; with charisma, caring leadership, Yad Hanadiv, who was supportive of work with innovative methods of insight and the ability to translate the the family’s tradition of dedication to education, including combinations complex challenges into effective Jewish causes and to the development of printed materials, correspondence solutions. Yigal Allon, newly of the Land of Israel. Yad Hanadiv courses, audio-visual aids of all kinds; appointed Deputy Prime Minister and established an Enquiry Commission, offer learning opportunities to students Minister of Education in 1969, wanted assembling a distinguished team from where they are, when they need to make a significant change in higher Stanford University, the British Open them, without the usual limitation of education in Israel. Prime Minister University and the Ford Foundation to age, place or traditional structures Harold Wilson, a friend of Yigal Allon assess the feasibility, practicability and of education; offer the necessary from his student days in England, had economics of a university along the courses to enable a student to earn established an Open University in lines of the British model in Israel. an academic degree; and evolve into England. Inspired by the successful Simultaneously, the Israeli Council the kind of additional university that British model, he sought a patron for Higher Education and the Ministry Israel needs most. The Commission who would appreciate the potential of Education set up a Committee on recommended focusing on in-service contribution of a new approach to Post-Secondary Education to review training of teachers; special efforts higher education in Israel. all aspects of higher education in for young soldiers; modular courses to Israel. Both committees independently fit different needs and available study The role of the Rothschild family in recommended establishing an Open time; some use of television and radio the development of Israel is singular, University in Israel. and cultural enrichment.” 38.