The Arab Open University (AOU) is a sustainable development and educational non-profit project. It was founded by HRH Prince Talal Bin Abdul-Aziz, Chairman of the AOU Board of Trustees. In September 2000, AOU was officially declared in the meeting of Arab ministers of higher education where five Arab countries offered to host the headquarters of AOU. Among them was Kuwait that was chosen to be the headquarters of AOU in December 2000. Today AOU has eight branches in Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Oman and Sudan.