Welcome to the stakeholder newsletter from The Open University in Scotland

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Dear

Welcome to this edition of Open Outlook which shares recent highlights, including our groundbreaking new Scots language course for teachers, and our new Open University/BBC series featuring locations across Scotland.

We welcomed new students last month and this week registrations will open for courses starting in October, including Part-Time Fee Grant applications to cover the cost of study for eligible students.

I hope you enjoy finding out more in this issue.

Best wishes
Susan Stewart, Director, The Open University in Scotland

Celebrating success

Scots spelled out with Scrabble letters on a table.

First teacher training course to embed Scots language

For the first time in the history of Scottish education, there is now a professional learning course for teachers on how to include and embed Scots language in classrooms.

The Scots language teacher professional learning programme has been developed and is being delivered by The Open University (OU) in Scotland and Education Scotland.

The official launch of the course was formally marked by an event attended by Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, who shares her thoughts about the course in the short video below.

New OU/BBC series takes unflinching look at public services

A new BBC/OU co-produced series Darren McGarvey: The State We’re In is out now.

In this three-part series, acclaimed Scottish author, rapper and social commentator Darren McGarvey looks at how the UK’s biggest public services – justice, education and health – face major challenges, affecting millions of us every day.

The whole series is available on BBC iPlayer. The episodes aired on BBC Scotland and BBC Two over the past few weeks.

Locations featured include Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow, Gordonstoun School in Elgin and a Health Centre in Nairn.

More information and supporting content, including exclusive interviews with Darren McGarvey, is on the OU Connect site.

Free places available on microcredential courses for career progression

People across Scotland have the opportunity to enhance their skills for career progression, by studying a microcredential course online with The Open University, fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council.

The short, 10-12 week undergraduate and postgraduate level courses are available in a variety of subject areas, including business management and leadership, digital skills, education, and health and social care.

Applications will open later this month for courses starting in June 2024.

Lack of skills holding back environmental, social and governance action

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy is discussed in board rooms but lack of skills is holding back action, according to new report by The Open University.

New partnerships to support health and children's rights in Scotland

Children in Scotland and the OU in Scotland and have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding. This forms the foundation of a partnership between the two organisations, to upskill practitioners in the children’s rights sector and improve the lives of children and young people across Scotland.

We've been working with Children in Scotland to create a new learning portal to support professionals working across the children’s sector. The portal was launched today on our free learning site OpenLearn.

The training body NHS Education for Scotland have also signed a new strategic collaboration agreement with the OU in Scotland, to help develop Scotland’s health and social care workforce and improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Event highlights

Photo of a group of young people holding up colourful pictures at the Mock COP28 event.

Future sustainability leaders attend Mock COP28

Ahead of COP28 taking place in Dubai, secondary schools from across Highland and Moray came together for their own mock conference, to have a voice and share the ambition of young people working for a more sustainable world.

Students have a big blether

Open University students joined representatives from the OU Students Association and OU in Scotland staff for a chat via video call last month.

The Big Blethers are community activities as part our student support and services.

A young person using a laptop, with a bookshelf behind them.

Home education myths debunked

Young people may be learning outside of formal schooling for many reasons. Chelle Oldham, Staff Tutor in the OU's School of Education, Childhood, Youth & Sport, shares key findings from recent research, shining a light on the voices of some of these young people.

Transforming education with AI

Ahead of interactive events in Scotland exploring Artificial Intelligence, Professor of Computer Science John Domingue shares the latest developments in AI at the OU and beyond.

Robert Burns – power of poetry and music

The power of Robert Burns’ poetry set to music, particularly for psychiatric care, is explored by Open University Senior Lecturer in Music, Dr Rosemary Golding.

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.

The Open University in Scotland

Scotland@open.ac.uk