Korea National Open University (KNOU)

Korea National Open University is a national university of South Korea. KNOU is South Korea's leading institution for open education, providing accessible and flexible higher education to over 94,000 students and the largest educational institution in the country by enrollment. Established in 1972 and becoming an independent national university in 1982, KNOU removes barriers to learning by offering undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree programs without traditional entry restrictions. Its open education model enables students from diverse backgrounds to pursue accredited degrees through various formats, including online platforms and regional centers. With evolving technology and increased demand for remote learning, KNOU has expanded opportunities for self-directed education, making higher learning more inclusive and widely available. Korea National Open University ranked 151st among the top 1,000 major universities according to the Academic ranking of World Universities index of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2016) and 201st in the World University Rankings index published by Times Higher Education (2017).