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Dear
Welcome to this edition of Open Outlook which shares recent highlights, including our degree ceremonies and our new podcast to support our students across Scotland.
We're also delighted that The Open University in Scotland was rated highly in the recent MSP Engagement Survey, and ranked joint-first for overall student satisfaction amongst all universities in Scotland in the National Student Survey.
We welcomed new students in October and registrations are open for courses starting in February, including with Part-Time Fee Grant.
I hope you enjoy finding out more in this issue.
Best wishes,
Martin Boyle, Director of The Open University in Scotland
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From Gretna Green to Orkney, graduates aged between 20 and 90 crossed the stage in October, at The Open University’s (OU) 2025 degree ceremonies at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, celebrating 660 stories of effort, opportunity and quiet pride (as highlighted in the Spotlight section below).
On a day filled with music, applause and emotion, it felt fitting that two of Scotland’s best-loved voices, Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh of Deacon Blue - speaking in the short video above - were among those honoured. Their songs of work, hope and belonging echo the same spirit that defines The Open University’s graduates.
They were joined by international foreign-affairs expert Dr Fiona Hill, as the University celebrated Scotland’s enduring creativity, resilience and sense of community.
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The Open University in Scotland has been ranked joint first for overall student satisfaction amongst all universities in Scotland in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2025.
With 90% of students satisfied with their overall experience, the OU, along with St Andrews, are leading the NSS ranking, ahead of Strathclyde (87%) and Aberdeen (86%). The OU in Scotland has been ranked highly consistently for many years, including top spot in 2024.
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We are pleased to have maintained - and in some areas exceeded - our ratings in the interim results from the annual independent survey of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).
The survey measures MSPs’ favourability and awareness of participating organisations, for which we were rated 86% and 79% respectively. It also measures their satisfaction with our contact with MSPs, for which we were rated 69%. The results are testament to the work of colleagues across the university to support students to achieve success.
Ahead of the Scottish Parliament election in May 2026, our election manifesto calls for the next parliament to focus on part-time students, prioritising their funding and support.
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'On Track with The Open University in Scotland' is a podcast developed to support students with starting and continuing to study with the OU in Scotland.
Available on a wide range of audio streaming platforms, it’s aimed to help students ahead of their first assignment deadline, plus provide advice that can be useful throughout the whole study journey.
Developed for and with OU in Scotland students, to explore the difficulties students face and the solutions available, the podcast is relevant to students of all subjects and undergraduate qualifications. It's designed to act as a ‘study buddy’ that can be listened to whilst studying.
Research into the typical study challenges and solutions was undertaken as a backbone of the podcast development. This included consulting students and staff across the OU in Scotland and beyond, as well as referring to OU student experience and trend reports.
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A team of OU researchers has been appointed to lead a new national project mapping Scotland’s Fair Access to higher education landscape, following a competitive selection process by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland and The Robertson Trust.
Bringing together expertise in widening access, educational data, and evidence-based policy, the OU research team will create a comprehensive picture of current university access and participation activity across Scotland.
The project will result in an online resource, designed to make data on fair access more transparent, accessible and up to date.
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Read more
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The Open University in Scotland is proud to be a core partner in a significant new investment from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, as part of its Doctoral Focal Awards programme.
The award is designed to champion the next generation of researchers and academics, offering training in areas vital to the UK’s creative economy and societal well-being.
The funding will enable the OU to work in collaboration with Glasgow School of Art and Scotland’s Rural College, to create a distributed training college of twenty doctoral researchers, recruited from across Scotland’s rural and island communities.
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Read more
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The Open University in Scotland has once again brought young people together to debate climate action and global co-operation at this year’s Mock COP events in November; with one taking place in Inverness, and for the first time, a second event being held in Dumfries.
Now in its fifth year, the Mock COP gives senior secondary pupils the chance to step into the shoes of world leaders, simulating the decision-making processes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP).
The events are designed to help young people understand complex environmental issues, develop key skills, and amplify their voices in shaping a sustainable future for Scotland.
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The OU supports Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival, Bloody Scotland.
At this year’s festival in Stirling in September, as well supporting a range of events, we were the headline sponsor of the popular ‘Crime in the Spotlight’ series. The series included OU in Scotland Director Martin Boyle introducing an aspiring author, in front of a sell-out audience for the festival’s largest event with author Jo Nesbo.
Additionally, two workshops hosted by OU academics colleagues were hugely well-received. The workshops included a talk by Professor of Psychology Catriona Havard, accompanied by her blog 'Face It: Why Face Recognition Fails and Why That Should Concern You'.
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Read blog
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The OU in Scotland is hosting a range of events to support its student community.
Welcome Events took place at the start of this academic year and are planned to run again for students starting modules in February 2026. These induction sessions aim to welcome students to the OU in Scotland community and provide helpful tips and hints on what to expect from OU study.
Big Blether online events are scheduled to run monthly until the end of this calendar year, with 2026 dates to follow. A good blether can help us through a tough time, give us the confidence to overcome a hurdle or just put a smile on our face.
These online sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for student peer support.
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Read more about OU events
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Degree Ceremonies Spotlight Special
Amongst the 660 OU in Scotland graduates to cross the stage at our degree ceremonies in Glasgow last month were: youngest and oldest graduates, Abigail Craig aged 20 and Norah Bennie aged 90; married couple Elvis Mohammed and Arlene Warrick-Mohammed; and sisters Nicole and Kayleigh Sharkey.
Abigail shared: “In my final year at school, my attendance rate was only 55%. I was a below-average student, but I knew that I was capable of doing better, because I had done so before a decline in my mental health. At the OU, I have been able to work to a higher potential because I could do the work at my own pace and help was always there when I needed it."
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The graduates attending the ceremonies also included our most northern graduate Saffron Macivor from Orkney, offshore worker Craig Stevely, and taxi driver Paul Slevin. They were all able to continue earning while learning, as they juggled their studies with their work commitments.
Paul said: “I loved studying with the OU. It had been more than a decade since I had been in an educational setting and it gave me a sense of purpose. I was excited to learn more…It's a great university, especially for people like myself who are a bit older and think they are finished with studying. It's never too late for a change!”
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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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