Edraak
Website: https://www.edraak.orgTier: Platform Operator (not a service provider) Headquarters: Amman, Jordan
How They Describe Open edX
Edraak describes itself as running "a localized version of Open edX, a technology developed by Harvard and MIT." The platform is positioned as the proven technology foundation that enables Edraak's Arabic-language MOOC mission.
They describe using "the open-source edX platform by edX" — crediting both the technology and the institutional brand.
How They Describe Their Relationship
Edraak is not a typical service provider — they are a platform operator that runs Open edX for their own educational mission. Launched in 2014 by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan as an initiative of the Queen Rania Foundation (QRF), Edraak uses Open edX to deliver free Arabic-language courses.
They have been described as "a full-service Open edX solutions provider in Arabic and English" that also offers planning, implementation, hosting, theming, support, training, and custom development to other organizations.
Key Marketing Claims
- Scale: "Over 10 million learners"
- Mission: "Democratizing education and skills for all"
- Cost: "All courses are delivered at no cost to the learner"
- Content breadth: Courses covering entrepreneurship, communication, health, IT, design, filmmaking
- Translations: Translations of courses from Harvard and MIT available in Arabic
- Partnerships: Collaborations with "regional and international scholars from prestigious universities"
Positioning Strategy
Edraak represents a mission-driven deployment of Open edX. Unlike commercial service providers, Edraak's relationship with Open edX is about enabling access to education in Arabic — a language underserved by global MOOC platforms.
Their positioning validates Open edX's claim to be a globally adaptable platform. The royal patronage and Queen Rania Foundation backing lend institutional gravity that is qualitatively different from commercial provider credibility.
Technical Profile
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Hosting Infrastructure | AWS confirmed (via Jordan e-learning initiative documentation). Specific AWS services not detailed. |
| Deployment Method | Custom fork of Open edX — maintains github.com/Edraak/edraak-platform. Historical deployment via native installation (Ubuntu 16.04), Vagrant/VirtualBox devstacks, Docker devstacks. Not known to use Tutor. |
| Supported Open edX Releases | Public GitHub repo references Hawthorn (2018). Older fork based on Dogwood (~2016). Current production version unconfirmed from public sources. |
| Security Certifications | None publicly documented. |
| Compliance | Not publicly advertised. As a nonprofit MOOC platform, compliance posture is not marketed. Arabic RTL support confirmed through platform customizations. |
| Interoperability | Core Open edX stack. No specific SCORM/xAPI/LTI claims documented. |
| SLA / Uptime | N/A — free public MOOC platform, not a commercial SLA-driven service. |
| Data Residency | Jordan-based operations (Queen Rania Foundation, Amman). Data presumably hosted in or near Jordan. |
| Scale | 10M+ registered users, 800,000+ monthly active users. |
| Mobile | iOS and Android apps with offline video download support. Certificates with QR verification codes. |
Notable Language Patterns
- "Democratizing education" — mission-first language
- Harvard/MIT referenced as content source, not just platform origin
- "Free" and "at no cost" appear prominently
- The language is more about impact than technology
- Open edX is credited but not centered — Edraak's brand is primary
- They expanded into K-12 with a Google grant — showing platform versatility