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Be surprising and inspiring. Be so much more.
About The Open University The Open University (OU) is the largest university in the UK by student population and has a significant global reach through a network of alumni in over 157 countries, international partnerships and research. The OU is the only university to receive funding from, and operate in, all four nations of the UK.
The OU was established in 1969 with a unique aim to make high quality, flexible education open for all. Our mission was to provide a new style of university education that was truly open to people, places, methods and ideas, to improve lives and enrich communities in the UK and across the world. Since our foundation, more than two million people have studied with us, and our commitment to our mission is as strong as ever. That’s why we continue to evolve and adapt our teaching methods and technology to support student success in a rapidly changing world. A unique institution The OU is unique. A world leader in open access, supported open learning and open educational resources, our distance learning approach sets us apart from other universities. Our commitment to open entry requirements means the OU has an unrivalled reach and influence on today’s society. Our flexible approach supports people of all ages and backgrounds to study and achieve their potential. Through academic research, teaching innovation and partnerships, the OU constantly breaks new ground in the design, content and delivery of supported open learning. Open, ambitious, innovative and inclusive We believe anyone, anywhere, can study with The Open University. Over 205,000 students are currently studying with us, and these include: • 37,078 students who declared a disability in 2021/22 • 1,400 people from 150 UK prisons and secure units
• Students sponsored by FTSE 100 companies and major public services like the police and the NHS • In excess of 2,700 students on apprenticeship courses partnering with over 750 employers with 46 apprenticeships across Scotland • 71% of directly-registered OU students work full or part-time during their studies • 25% of OU UK undergraduates live in the 25% most deprived areas • 32% of new OU undergraduates are under 25 • 71% of OU undergraduates had no previous HE qualifications on entry. Some other highlights include: • We ranked 6th out of 175 universities in respect of the overall satisfaction of our students as measured in the 2022 National Students Survey • A unique partnership with the BBC since 1971 and co-production of approximately 35 prime- time TV and radio series every year: including flagship co-productions such as Frozen Planet and Blue Planet II, which transformed attitudes about the health of our oceans, and Blue Planet Live winning the 2020 BAFTA for ‘Best Live Event. During 2018/19, OU-BBC TV and radio programmes reached a large audience and were viewed or listened to 264 million times • The OU’s free-learning platform, OpenLearn, which provides free courses and has had over 67 million course visits from learners to date
Contents About The Open University One University, Four Nations
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Mission and Strategy
Finances and Key Statistics
About the Role
Person Specification
How to apply
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