How does OU study work?

Ann Matsunaga June 2015 1

The Open University’s mission is to be open to people, places, methods and ideas.

• We provide high-quality university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

• Through academic research, pedagogic innovation and collaborative partnership

we seek to be a world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open learning.

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Since the OU’s launch in 1969, 1.89 million people worldwide have achieved their learning goals by studying with us.

We have:•around 200,000 students•nearly 6,000 tutors•more than 1,100 full-time academic staff•more than 3,500 support staff

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The OU overseas

•In 2013/14, 10,191 students studied directly with the University overseas and more than 32,000 students were enrolled on validated programmes

•The Open University has 20 curriculum partnerships established in 23 countries

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• 374 undergraduate modules• 159 postgraduate modules • 44 overseas versions with 20 curriculum partnerships• 13,574 OU students are studying at postgraduate level• 24,900 MBA graduates in 128 countries since The Open University Business School launched the programme in 1989

The OU has been rated as one of the best universities for student satisfaction, it is one of only 4 universities to have consistently achieved more than 90% in the survey’s history

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What do our students think of the OU?

Who are our students?• Over 75% of OU students work full or part-time • The average age of new undergraduate OU students

is 29• Only 9% of our new students are over 50• 30% of new OU undergraduates are under 25• It is the largest provider of higher education for

people with disabilities, more than 20,000 people with disabilities

studied with us in 2013/14.

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Who are our students?

• Most of our undergraduate courses have no formal entry requirements. We believe that the qualifications our students have when they leave are the only ones that matter.

39% of students had one A level or a lower qualification at entry

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Why study with the OU?

• 88% of FTSE 100 companies have sponsored staff on OU courses• Employers know that OU students are up for a challenge, understand how to prioritise and manage their time, and can see things through to the end.•the OU is in the top third of UK higher education institutions by ‘research power’ ranking (Research Excellence Framework exercise 2014)•72% of its research was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent•In 2013/14 the OU received more than £16.8m in external research grants and contracts income

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Why study with the OU?

• Our MBA programme is accredited by the world’s top management education associations - AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA

• The OU has links to Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies, which means that our subject areas and qualifications have been judged to meet professional benchmarks, and that students gain the understanding and knowledge required by employers in their chosen field.

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Interesting facts about the OU

• it is the largest provider of law graduates in the UK•UK’s only university dedicated to distance learning•The OU’s 40 year partnership with the BBC produces up to 25 TV and radio series a year, including: Britain's Great War, Airport Live, Wartime Farm, Stargazing Live, Coast, An Hour to Save Your Life, Bang Goes The Theory, More or Less, Thinking Allowed and The Bottom Line.

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June 2015: New BBC/OU series goes on the beat with London’s Metropolitan Police

June 2015: Dementiaville: New OU / Channel 4 series explores the latest thinking in dementia care

January 2015: Rosetta Mission: new results reveal comet 67P is an ‘icy dirtball’ covered in ‘goose bumps’

June 2015: The Bank – A matter of life and debt

12OU Live – Online tutorials

13Tutor group forum

14An example of discussion thread