Black Leadership and Empowerment Programme kicks-off in style

Trailblazing Black football player and coach Tony Whelan, Manchester United’s Academy Advisor who mentored the likes of FA Cup final player of the match Kobbie Mainoo, was the guest speaker at the launch of the new Black Leadership and Empowerment Programme (BLEP).

Developed by the Business School, the initiative has been designed to equip participants with the skills needed to thrive in leadership roles and empower the next generation of Black leaders in business and the community. It emerged in response to racial inequalities exposed by the pandemic and highlighted in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests’ call for racial equity.

The programme features 150 hours of free learning including two bespoke leadership courses developed exclusively for BLEP: Introducing Black leadership and Advancing Black leadership.

Programme lead and Business School lecturer, Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo, said: “BLEP emerged from discussions between the OU and our community partners concerned with racial inequity and is exploring how we can be more effective in calling for, and fighting for, change.”

Celebrating a decade of Policing at the OU

This year marks 10 years of Policing at the OU and the launch of the Business School’s Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL).

Over the past decade, CPRL has expanded to include more than 80 academics from across the OU, working collaboratively with 23 police agencies across the UK. To recognise its achievements, the Centre has planned a series of online and in-person events.

Dr Anna Hopkins from our Department for Policing is hosting a one-day conference next Thursday (6 June) to discuss the issues around domestic abuse within the criminal justice system (CJS) and to tackle the disjoint between what CJS professionals deem a success and what victim survivors deem a good service and outcome.

Then in November, the ‘CPRL Tenth Anniversary Conference 2024: How can we improve retention and prevention in policing?’ will bring together police officers, practitioners and academics.

CPRL has also released their 2023 annual report detailing its range of activities, outputs and achievements. In collaboration with the Department for Policing, the Centre has produced a lively and ambitious programme of problem-solving research projects, education and continuing professional development (CPD) programmes, and knowledge into practice to improve policing for the good of society. The report gives some examples of the Centre’s work and impact in each area during 2023.

OU collaboration to launch perinatal mental health toolkit in policing

A toolkit has been designed to enhance support for maternal mental health in the workplace following a research study conducted by the OU, Manchester Metropolitan University and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Association of Women in Policing.

Two OU Policing lecturers, Dr Sarah-Jane Lennie and Dr Keely Duddin, together with Dr Krystal Wilkinson from Manchester Metropolitan University, conducted the study to shed light on the challenges faced by those experiencing perinatal mental illness within the context of policing employment.

The research revealed a lack of awareness around perinatal mental illness in the workplace, and showed that elements of working in a police organisation, like exposure to traumatic events, could negatively influence mental illness trajectories.

The new policing-specific toolkit provides line managers with a step-by-step flow-chart to guide the supervisor through each stage of the maternity and/or paternity journey in a way that maximises the likelihood of mental health-related disclosures and a supportive organisational response.

ICAERUS – developing business ideas for drone technologies

Business School academics are part of a new four-year project which aims to increase the business use of drones in agriculture, forestry and rural areas across Europe.

ICAERUS (Innovation and Capacity building in Agricultural Environmental and Rural UAV Services) is a Horizon Europe-funded project aiming to benefit agricultural communities and a range of stakeholders, from the private sector to public bodies developing policies and offering funding for innovation.

An eight-week online training course, hosted on OpenLearn and comprising eight distinct subjects, is being developed as part of the ‘ICAERUS Academy’.

Understanding the financial capability needs and lived experiences of Black teenagers

Current and former Business School colleagues are part of a new project seeking to understand the lived finance and money-related experiences and needs of Black school-aged students. This is before they transition from school and living with family, to living independently.

Black students aged 15-17 in two schools in Milton Keynes were interviewed. Although there were similarities in relation to financial capability to teenagers of other backgrounds, there were also some differences relating to trust and advice, future plans and financial decision making.

Dr Katie Balaam, a Lecturer in Accounting and Financial Management, said: “Understanding the specific needs of those from diverse backgrounds, particularly those in groups who are at higher risk of financial difficulties later in life, will help to inform the debate on effective financial education. Our interviews with Black teenagers deepens our understanding of issues impacting the financial capability of this group of students.”

Further research is being planned exploring potential ways of financial education delivery and timing to inform policy initiatives.

SHORT COURSE SPOTLIGHT: Developing Team Leader Skills

In this short course, you will have the opportunity to consider your own practice as a team leader or team member and develop your teamwork skills and tools to enable better performance. The course includes a variety of videos, case studies, discussions, quizzes and activities for you to use based on your own experiences and learning as a team member and/or team leader.

Alumni Council member profile:

Nick Wilkinson

Nick Wilkinson is Vice-Chair of the Alumni Council and was one of the Business School’s first MBA graduates. A senior business executive with much commercial success under his belt, his expertise lies in the global software and information technology services industry. Nick is also a published author with fictional works on the business world, and a screenwriter, director, and producer in the film and TV industry.

He said: “As a ‘lifelong learner’, I have always maintained an interest in the latest academic thinking about business so I felt that joining the Council would be a great way to contribute to the School. And having lived in the United States for the past 25 years, I was delighted when the Council reached out for more overseas members to support its internationalisation goals.

“I have been involved in several Alumni Council projects focused on marketing OUBS and I think we have made an important contribution by highlighting the changing competitive landscape in business education and the need to showcase the School’s differentiators.

“We are a diverse group, at different stages of our careers, working across many industries, in several countries and so I think we’re very representative of the OUBS alumni community. We all share a deep appreciation of OUBS for its impact on our careers, and a determination to see the School receive the recognition it deserves.”

Nick also hinted at new plans to introduce a mentoring programme for OUBS students and alumni and said more will be shared in the coming months. The next Alumni Council meeting is on Thursday 13 June.

Looking for global entrepreneurs and innovators

Does this sound like you? Do you have experience of taking new products or services to new markets? Has your career taken you around the world? How have your OUBS studies influenced your journey?

We’re always looking for inspiring stories to share, please drop us a line at OUBS-Alumni@open.ac.uk

The future of social media and marketing – be ahead of the curve

In a world where ‘business as usual’ sales and marketing techniques are no longer effective, this webinar explored how the best social media and marketing strategies must evolve to meet the future of tech, digital and consumer demands.

What will the future bring and how can you be ready and ahead of the curve?