The Open University (OU) is the UK 's only university dedicated to distance learning. Born in the 1960s, the 'White Heat of Technology' era, it was founded on the belief that communications technology could bring high quality degree-level learning to all. Through academic research, pedagogic innovation and collaborative partnership, the OU continues to be a world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open and distance learning.
Having first opened its doors to students in January 1971, today more people study at the OU than at any other university in the UK. The OU currently has around 150,000 undergraduate and more than 30,000 postgraduate students, studying courses in 13 subject areas ranging from education to psychology, and from information technology to law. Offering qualifications from certificates to degrees to doctorates, nearly all students study part time. About 70% of undergraduates are in full-time employment, and more than 50,000 students are sponsored by their employers. While the majority of its students are UK-based, most OU courses are also available throughout Europe, as well as many other parts of the world, with more than 25,000 OU students living outside the UK.
The OU is ranked among the finest UK universities for the quality of its teaching, topping the National Student Survey for overall satisfaction for the third year running in 2007. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) report Britain Towards 2010: the Changing Business Environment heralds the OU as offering a "vision for the future" as students and businesses demand a more flexible approach to learning.
Useful links
www.open.ac.uk -for information on courses and studying with the OU
www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.php -OU resources freely available from OpenLearn