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Dear
Lifelong learning is back in vogue! At least it feels that way, as the Scottish Government recently accepted ‘the development of shorter, sharper courses to support learning throughout life’ in its response to an education review by the Scottish Funding Council.
Helping people to access higher education regardless of age, qualifications, income or geography, has always been and will always be at the heart of our mission. That includes sharing knowledge and learning in the environmental sustainably arena, as shown in our COP26 highlights and our new, short, accredited courses on climate change.
We were delighted to welcome new students in October and registration is open for courses starting in February. With recent dynamic growth in people studying with us, we are now the fourth largest university in Scotland in terms of student numbers.
Best wishes
Susan Stewart, Director, The Open University in Scotland
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Businesses addressing crucial skills gaps with OU support
Employers are facing a skills shortage when hiring specialist, entry level talent, the Open University's annual Business Barometer report has revealed. Co-produced with the Institute of Directors, the report found that in Scotland almost two thirds of organisation leaders are struggling with recruitment. The Open University (OU) in Scotland is encouraging and supporting employers to “grow their own” talent.
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A £1 million Scottish Funding Council scheme is enabling business in Scotland with fewer than 250 employees to access up to £5,000 of OU training for their staff and volunteers.
Businesses can address key skills gaps, adapt to new ways of working and maximise opportunities through the OU. Funded by the Scottish Government, courses on offer include leadership, IT, and the green economy.
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"At secondary school we read almost nothing by writers from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) background."
Delivering race equality in education with actions, not just words, was explored in an article by Sas Amoah, OU Digital Media Producer and Co-Chair of OU’s BME Network. The article was published in The Scotsman ahead of an OU-supported event at Edinburgh International Book Festival 2021, exploring race equality.
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Care experienced students celebrated
"Take the leap. You may believe that you can’t do it, or that it will be too difficult, or you will struggle, but how will you know unless you try.” said care-experienced OU in Scotland student Elyse Hocking, as she shared her story for Care Experienced Week 2021.
We celebrated our care experienced students in Scotland on Care Experienced Week in October, sharing how we offer a wide range of help, including a bursary and a free 1-hour online course to help staff at universities to support their care experienced students.
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As Glasgow hosted the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, the OU participated to offer a culture and science perspective on the impacts of climate change.
We showcased our strengths in the sustainability arena, including an event in the COP26's Green Zone, as explored in an article by OU's executive sponsor for sustainability, Prof Nicholas Braithwaite.
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A giant totem bringing Indigenous messages from Mexico about global warming came to Scotland for COP26, thanks to an Open University collaboration with the Border Crossings Origins festival.
Travelling by ship to the UK, TOTEM LATAMAT stopped at important cultural hubs on its journey to The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, before moving to its final resting place at The Crichton in Dumfries.
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60 students across the Scottish Highlands took part in a virtual ‘Mock COP26’, to raise awareness and increase understanding of the landmark global political conference.
Trying to make a difference in the climate change battle, fifth and sixth years from Inverness, Moray, and Dingwall negotiated in groups representing Brazil and Sweden, China and the USA, the UK and Ethiopia.
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The Open University offers a range of courses in environmental sustainability, delivered online and through supported distance learning.
To complement our traditional undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, we have launched a suite of short, skills-focused accredited courses called microcredentials.
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OU Student Voice Week 2021 took place in November. The annual event is a celebration of the different ways that students can get involved in Open University decision-making.
This year our activities included OU student Fanni Zombor (pictured) taking over our Twitter feed for a morning. We also published blogs by OU students and hosted a range events, including the launch of our new Student Mental Health Agreement, a Green Entrepreneur Showcase, and a Big Blether.
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An episode of the BBC/OU series Universe with Prof Brian Cox was partly filmed in the Isle of Skye. Dr Sheona Urquhart, an OU Astrophysicist originally from Skye, was an academic consultant for the series. In a news story and video Sheona shared why Skye was a perfect location for the episode, which can be watched on iPlayer.
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Kamal Ibrahim, a postgraduate social work student at The Open University in Scotland, has been appointed as a co-researcher on a new project.
The Developing Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Student-Designed Inclusive Modules project aims to gather reflections on the experiences of individuals from BME groups in the OU student community.
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Obituary of Fraser Woodburn
It is with great sadness that we share news of the death of Fraser Woodburn, former University Secretary of The Open University.
Fraser was an authoritative voice, well-established and highly regarded in higher education, with a distinguished career at the highest level of administration in the sector.
Beginning his career in local government, he held positions at the Universities of Stirling, Edinburgh, Hull and Essex.
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The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
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