Equality and excellence in higher education - Is it possible? - A case of Everyman's University, Israel

The dilemma of equality versus excellence in education bears conceptual and practical difficulties. It is especially problematic when dealing with higher education. Most of the univerities over the world are selective by nature and pursue high academic standards. The more an institution earns a reputation for excellence, the less likely it is to provide equality of opportunities to large segments of the population. The underlying philosophy of Everyman's University (EU), the Open University of Israel, reflects these two dialectical values of equality and excellence. The article analyzes EU's principles and practices in the light of equality-quality relationships.