Three new college partnerships announced

The OU in Scotland has announced new partnerships with Ayrshire College, Dundee & Angus College, and Fife College; providing students who want to progress to degree-level study with flexible and innovative routes that recognise the value of college qualifications.

Skills shortages cost Scottish businesses £360 million

According to a new report that monitors the skills landscape of Scotland and the rest of the UK, skills shortages now cost Scottish businesses over £360 million per year. The report also revealed that two thirds of Scottish employers agree that developing the skills of the existing workforce is more sustainable than ‘buying in’ new talent.

Major international education conference hosted in Scotland

The Ninth Pan-Commonwealth Forum (PCF9) - a major four-day international conference on inclusive and open education - was held in Edinburgh in September. It was jointly hosted by the Commonwealth of Learning and the OU and attracted around 600 delegates from all over the world.

Roadshow brings events to employers across Scotland

The OU has brought a roadshow of events to employers across Scotland this year. 'Upskilling Your Workforce' events have taken place in Shetland, Orkney, Inverness, Oban, Irvine, Dundee and Dumfries. The roadshow will conclude with an event for employers in Stirling on 3 December.

Our dynamic earth, oceans and cosmos explored in interactive events

The award-winning Blue Planet II series and developments in space science since the first moon landing, were explored in interactive public talks at Dynamic Earth - Scotland’s five-star earth sciences visitor attraction - in Edinburgh during Scotland's October school holidays. 

The talks were accompanied by a two-day public interactive science showcase for all.

Blue Planet II and Moons talks across Scotland

As part of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s talks series, Prof Mark Brandon, an OU academic advisor for Blue Planet II (pictured with Sir David  Attenborough), delivered talks in Inverness, Perth and Stirling last month. 

Dr Mahesh Anand, OU Reader in Planetary Science and Exploration, will bring his talk 'Living on the Moon! The next 50 years' to Dumfries, the Borders and Ayr in February 2020. 

Catherine Simpson, author and OU alumnus, explores the power of writing

In a blog ahead of her event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August, Catherine Simpson, award-winning author and OU in Scotland creative writing alumnus, shared her experiences of using the power of writing to deal with grief. 

Dr Julie McElroy, OU student and disability rights campaigner, gives TEDx talk

Dr Julie McElroy, an OU in Scotland student and award-winning disability rights campaigner, delivered a talk on how assistive technology can be an enabler to society, as part of TEDxOpenUniversity: Imagine What's Next, which took place earlier this month.