The Open University

Mission

The Open University’s mission is to be open to people, places, methods and ideas.

We promote educational opportunity and social justice by providing high-quality university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

Through academic research, pedagogic innovation and collaborative partnership we seek to be a world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open learning.

There is no typical OU student. People of all ages and backgrounds study with us, for all sorts of reasons – to update their skills, get a qualification, boost their career, change direction, prove themselves, keep mentally active. The OU is open to them all.

The Open University's Former Vice-Chancellor, Martin Bean

How we deliver our mission

The Open University’s Students First - strategy for growth (pdf) is the means by which we will continue transforming lives through education, building on our success and delivering our mission in a changing world.

Our Annual Reports provide a record of our work, events, projects and financial highlights year by year.

Open to all

Most of our undergraduate courses have no formal entry requirements. We believe that the qualifications our students have when they leave are the only ones that matter.

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, and close monitoring makes sure that we live up to our ideals.

Equality and diversity website

Supporting students with disabilities

The OU has more disabled students than any other university in Europe. The flexible nature of OU study and our experience in harnessing enabling technologies to support learning means over 20,000 people with a wide range of disabilities – including mental health issues – choose to study with us each year.

Services for disabled students

Widening access in education

We work in partnership with national and local organisations to open up higher education to underrepresented groups, reaching out to potential students in their communities – and ensuring that, once on board, these students receive the support they need to succeed in their studies.

Widening access

Our Access modules are designed to help people find out what it’s like to study with the OU, build study skills and gain confidence.

Access modules

Open access to learning materials

Every day, millions of people access free OU content, no matter where they live in the world. All they need is an internet connection:

Student charter

The Open University is more than just a place of learning - it is a community. The OU student charter, developed jointly by the University and the OU Students Association, sets out our responsibilities to one another as members of the OU community.

Read the OU student charter

International development

The Open University has been committed to international development for over 20 years. We deliver flexible, adaptable and scalable programmes in partnership with governments, NGOs, funding institutions and local partners – addressing areas such as frontline health, teacher education and English language teaching. Our work ranges from vital skills training for frontline healthcare workers across sub-Saharan Africa, to projects designed to transform English language education in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

More about OU international development programmes

Find out more 

• Annual Reports