• Over 20,000 students from more than 155 countries have registered for Tel Aviv University’s (TAU) online course on Arab-Islamic history.
• Enrollment includes students living in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Malaysia, and more.

A course at TAU’s Innovative Learning Center and the Zvi Yavetz School of Historical Studies has made the list of the world’s top 50 online courses.

Arab-Islamic History: From Tribes to Empires, a lecture on the rich history of Islam and the Muslim people, was launched two years ago and has gained popularity among students studying in over 155 countries. Many participating in the class live in Muslim countries, including those with whom Israel has no diplomatic relations. 

Prof. Miri Shefer-Mossensohn, course lecturer and Head of the Zvi Yavetz School of Historical Studies, notes that since the pandemic began, enrollment in this course has significantly increased, as many young people are taking advantage of the time at home to enrich their knowledge. She says that the course “makes the history of the Muslim people accessible to them from an academic point of view, without a religious tone.”

To date, over 20,000 students have registered for the class, including current enrollment from:

Students from Muslim countries are responding positively to the course, noting their surprise that a Jewish-Israeli professor succeeded in captivating them and teaching them the history of their people.

Yuval Schreibman, CEO of TAU Online, says, “This is a major achievement that proves that even in the age of high-tech, the humanities are flourishing. Young people all over the world are seeking to learn good, quality content.”

One of the students from Syria thanked the lecturer at the end of the course, writing: “Thanks to this course I went back to my roots. I am a Muslim Syrian and wanted to learn more about our history, which made us who we are today. Tribes to Empires – what a thoughtful title for the beautiful journey we have been through.”

The course received its top 50 ranking from the website “Class Central,” the most widely recognized listings of online courses from a variety of platforms and leading academic institutions in the world.

To register for the class, click here.