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Welcome ....
to your May newsletter, featuring the latest news from The Open University Business School (OUBS)
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Extensive support package launched to help Ukraine
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The OU recently launched a raft of measures aimed at helping students and Ukrainians fleeing the war and arriving in the UK. These include financial support and assistance for existing OU students, a funding lifeline to potential students from Ukraine now living in the UK, as well as free online learning and partnerships with wider support networks.
A key part of the support package is extensive online free resources for Ukrainians on the OU's popular digital learning platform OpenLearn, with a further free-to-learn cultural and language course being created aimed at those housing, caring for or working with Ukrainians.
Also, Ukrainian refugees living in the UK have the opportunity to apply for funding to study over the next three years, with an assistance package called The Open Futures Sanctuary Scholarships programme worth more than £800,000. This offers 12 scholarships annually over the next three years to those, including people from Ukraine, who are seeking asylum and/or are refugees in the UK, helping them to rebuild their lives by gaining study and skills to find work. A further 50 fee waivers are offered on an OU Access Module to help with skills and study progression. Full details of the support package here.
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Do you want to join the OUBS Alumni Council?
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OUBS alumni are vital to our continued success and one of the ways to be involved is through the Alumni Council. This diverse and representative body aims to create a global community that is inclusive, innovative, and responsive and delivers value to its members; and support the growth of OUBS by enhancing alumni networks.
The Alumni Council meets four times a year (both face-to-face, and online) with senior management and advises OUBS including the Stakeholder and Alumni Engagement (SAE) team on the development and delivery of strategic alumni engagement activity.
The deadline for applications is 17:00 on Friday 15 July – find out more, including how to apply, here.
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World-leading research by both OUBS and the wider University
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The recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 exercise shows that research undertaken at the OU is both world leading and has an impact in the real world. In results published on Thursday 12 May, the OUBS submission saw 75% of the outputs assessed rated as internationally excellent (3*) or world-leading (4*), while 92% of the OUBS impact cases were assessed at the level of 3 or 4 star.
The average score (GPA) in each of the three assessed categories (outputs, impact, research environment) is higher than 3* and the rank of our research environment places OUBS at the top third of the sector. Further details, including our six research impact cases, here.
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Centre’s annual conference will explore hybrid working
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The annual conference of our Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) is next week. The online CVSL Annual Conference 2022 – Working in hybrid spaces will see Centre Director Dr Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and Head of the Business School Professor Siv Vangen among the OUBS speakers on Thursday 9 June.
The conference will explore the (old and new) spaces in which the voluntary sector’s work takes place. Together with a range of workshops, the Centre’s research will be shared with partners and discussions about learning and leading through digital technologies; the continuing importance of ‘local’; changing parameters of collaboration; and the impact of work to make the spaces of voluntary action ever more inclusive.
A number of external speakers will be joining from 10:00 – 16:30 with the Chief Executive of the Barrow Cadbury Trust, Sara Llewellin, as the keynote.
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Policing host Violence Against Women and Girls Conference
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Our Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) is hosting a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Conference on Tuesday 21 June (10:00 – 16:00). The conference will be on campus in Milton Keynes but it is a hybrid event so there is opportunity for people to attend virtually. It aims to increase awareness and understanding of the key strands of work being undertaken in VAWG from a policy, policing, survivor and research perspective.
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Les’ inaugural lecture is out of this world
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The inaugural lecture of Professor of Regional Economy Les Budd was well attended, both in-person on campus in Milton Keynes and online. Les (pictured) explored the recent increase in public interest in space exploration and the future of using urban and regional economics for assessing its impact. Further details of ‘From Urbanite to Astronaut: The Territorial Economics of Space’ are here including a recording of his lecture and the question and answer session which followed on Tuesday 10 May.
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EPE Project survey deadline has been extended
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CONTENT WARNING:
Please proceed with caution if this research topic may be upsetting for you. Here is a list of support organisations if you are affected by any of these experiences.
There is still an opportunity – as the deadline has been extended until Sunday 31 July – for anyone in the UK who has experienced an early pregnancy ending while in paid employment to provide their experiences via a survey.
This is part of the OUBS-led EPE Project on early pregnancy endings and the workplace which aims to ultimately improve organisational support for women who experience termination and/or miscarriage. This is by providing evidence-based guidance for line managers and HR professionals, as well as resources for women themselves.
Professor Jo Brewis is leading three OU colleagues, academics from Aston University and the University of Essex, as well as third sector organisations working on miscarriage and termination – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and Abortion Rights.
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We are proud of our alumni community and this space is an opportunity to share some news, a personal achievement or a promotion, so please get in touch.
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Scholarship recipient Jeremy Lane is on the road to success
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Thanks to the generosity of our alumni, OUBS is able to offer a scholarship for the first two modules of the triple-accredited MBA to someone with the potential to be a future leader. This scholarship, the Future Leader Fund, is for those aiming to make a step change in their career, and who view the MBA as essential in accelerating their success.
The eighth recipient of the Scholarship is 32-year-old Jeremy Lane, Planning Manager for global automotive test system supplier AB Dynamics, who began the MBA in May following a successful application process. Jeremy, who finished an OU degree in Business Management and Economics a couple of years ago, said: “As an OU graduate, I recognise the unique learning opportunity offered by the OU and was keen to advance my influence in the business world as a proud OU alumnus.”
You can also read more about our magnificent seventh recipient Amanda Kindness here.
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Inspirational Celia on the right track at Women in Rail Awards
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MBA alumna Celia Morris was a winner at the fifth Women in Rail Awards in London. She claimed the ‘Inspirational Woman of the Year Award’ accolade in front of more than 700 people from across the rail industry at the stunning and iconic Roundhouse, Camden, on Thursday 19 May. The judges praised ‘stand out winner’ Celia for overcoming adversity to study part-time to begin a new career and for continually championing gender balance, and equality, diversity and inclusion. They added: “Not only does she support and encourage others in the industry but she is amazing in her own career and what she has achieved.”
The 73-year-old now works part-time for Mott MacDonald, as a Rail Division Learning and Development Consultant, with no immediate plans to retire. She studied with OUBS throughout the 1990s, completing an MBA in 2000 and winning an OU Adult Learners Award in recognition of her ability to inspire staff and students, and achieving cultural change in organisations. She also ran the South East OUBS Alumni Group for more than a decade.
Celia said: “I would never have got where I am without the great opportunities that became available to me as a result of my OUBS studies and the encouragement of some great tutors.” She is shown with broadcaster, youth rights activist and author Gemma Cairney who hosted the event, as well as Dean Lawrence, Client Development Manager at award sponsors Morson International.
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PUFIN Research Seminar – Fear and Favouritism in the Time of COVID-19
Professor Ben Ho (Associate Professor of Behavioural Economics at New York’s Vassar College) is the guest speaker for this research seminar from our Centre for Public Understanding of Finance, Institutions and Networks (PUFIN).
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CVSL Annual Conference 2022 – Working in hybrid spaces
After a challenging two years, has the work of voluntary sector organisations changed forever, or is it back to business as usual? This year’s conference from our Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) will explore the (old and new) spaces in which the sector’s work takes place.
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Lunchtime careers webinar – Adventures in Career and Life Design
This lunchtime careers webinar will see presenter Jane Barrett introduce you to a structured and systematic approach to career and life planning to help you navigate opportunities and decisions in your future.
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Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Conference
This one-day conference for both practitioners and academics is being hosted by our Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL).
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Collaborative Sustainable Development: The Role of Science and Patient Input
This is a joint event between the OU’s Health and Wellbeing Strategic Research Area (SRA) team and our Centre for the Public Understanding of Finance, Institutions and Networks (PUFIN).
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The final lunchtime careers webinar of the 2021-22 academic year is on Thursday 9 June (13:00 – 14:00). Presenter Jane Barrett (pictured), co-founder of The Career Farm, will introduce you to a structured and systematic approach to career and life planning to help you navigate opportunities and decisions in your future. Having retrained as a career coach, she has worked with alumni, MBAs and masters students at top business schools for more than 20 years to help focus and accelerate their career ambitions.
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Global career coach Peter Hill, who has lived and worked internationally himself for 17 years, was the guest presenter for May’s careers webinar. Peter (pictured) has more than 20 years’ experience supporting thousands of business professionals representing more than 140 countries.
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We have a range of exclusive offers for our OUBS alumni. Click the buttons to find out more. Remember, you can access our career webinar recordings on our website along with a whole range of online careers articles.
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Thanks for staying connected, take care
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Best wishes
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OUBS Alumni Engagement Team
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