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Welcome ....
to your March newsletter, featuring the latest news from The Open University Business School (OUBS)
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We’re proud to be supporting the NHS vaccination efforts
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The OU continues to support the local community in Milton Keynes by contributing to the national vaccination programme. The ground floor of the Michael Young Building (MYB) at Walton Hall, which houses our sister Law School, has been swiftly converted into an NHS vaccination centre capable of taking 500 appointments a day. This has attracted local and regional media attention – examples here and here.
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Recommendations to House of Lords Covid-19 Committee’s inquiry
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Senior Lecturer in Management Dr Jamie Woodcock made several recommendations when he was invited to give oral evidence at the House of Lords Covid-19 Committee inquiry in early February. This session focused on understanding the impacts on work, within the context of increasing digitalisation and automation, with the long-term impacts on wellbeing. For the full story including expert Jamie’s recommendations here.
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Your chance to find out why work won’t love you back
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Independent journalist Sarah Jaffe, who has written for The New York Times and The Guardian among others, will be talking about her book Work Won’t Love You Back on Monday 12 April (18:30 – 19:30). This examines the prevalence of the ‘labour of love’ myth and her talk is ahead of International Workers’ Day on 1 May. Further details including how to register here.
There were more than 100 attendees for ‘Lynne Segal: The Politics of Care’ which marked International Women’s Day on Monday 8 March. The ‘retired’ academic, regarded as one of the most important feminists of our time, made the case for care to be at the heart of all aspects of contemporary life. Watch the recording.
Earlier that same day, our Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Josie Fraser was joined by Senior Lecturer in Organisation Studies Dr Cinzia Priola and other OU academics to discuss the role of women in research and how women at the OU are making a difference to the wider world. Watch the recording.
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Short course tackles the impact of AI on organisations
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In a post-pandemic world, more than half of Europe’s workforce are also facing significant transition due to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). OUBS’ latest bite-size course, Management of Change: Organisation Development and Design, is ideal for those looking to upskill, particularly those in roles that involve organisational development or change and/or those in industries that are rapidly changing due to digitalisation. This is being led by Executive Education’s Dr Hilary Collins, Senior Lecturer in Corporate Programmes, and hosted on the OU’s partner platform FutureLearn. It is now open for enrolment with the 12-week course starting on Monday 28 June – more information here.
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Exploring the extent and nature of dog theft in the UK
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Dog theft has featured heavily in the news and on social media recently, with victims sharing the distress of having a much-loved pet stolen. A high-profile example is when Lady Gaga had two French bulldogs stolen and her dog walker shot during a robbery in Los Angeles. A collaborative research team including Dr Helen Selby-Fell, Senior Lecturer in our Department for Policing Organisation and Practice (POP), is examining the extent and nature of dog theft in the UK, triangulating police crime data with various other sources, and also exploring ‘victim impact’ by analysing interviews with victims of dog theft. For the full story here.
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The value of small and local charities ... in a big crisis
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Our Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) is part of the research team, funded by the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, which has launched The Value of Small in a Big Crisis report. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, this builds on and expands the findings of the original The Value of Small research in 2018. For the full story here.
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Exploring the development needs of BME leaders
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The development needs of Black and minority ethnic leaders are being explored thanks to funding from the OU’s Rapid Response to Covid-19. The project is being led by Visiting Fellow Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo, based in our Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL), and has received almost £10,000 to research the leadership capacities of Black and minority ethnic leaders in Milton Keynes. Further details here.
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We are immensely proud of our alumni community and this space is an opportunity to share some of your news, a personal achievement or a promotion, so please get in touch.
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Kindness is repaid with our Future Leader Fund scholarship
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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 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. Read all about our magnificent seventh recipient of the scholarship – Amanda Kindness.
Four other case studies have also recently been added here, including three talented OUBS alumni as well as the remarkable Rebecca Pooley who is a current MBA student.
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Empowering female electrical engineers in the Middle East and Africa
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When MBA alumnus Ahmed El-Hamaky contacted the OUBS Alumni team to see if we could promote OMICRON Energizing Women (OEW), we were only too keen to help. Bahrain-based Ahmed, OMICRON’s Regional Manager – Middle East, Africa and Turkey, penned a piece for our new FBL Perspectives blog in time for International Women’s Day (8 March). In his article, Ahmed describes the purpose-driven initiative undertaken by OMICRON MEA, including an online event in September 2020, to energise young female electrical engineers and help pave their way to success.
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Effective approach strategies for your career in relation to Covid-19
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The latest in a series of free lunchtime webinars exclusively for our alumni is on Wednesday 21 April (13:00 – 14:00). In this session, executive careers coach and entrepreneur Alison Edmonds will outline how sectors are responding to the Covid-19 crisis. Who is hiring and who isn’t? This should also help to understand the demands faced by employers and what this means as an employee. Further details on the event, the speaker and to register here.
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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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Best wishes
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OUBS Alumni Engagement Team
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