Open University

The Open University

The Open University is the largest academic institution in the UK, in terms of student numbers. It has:

•     more than 250,000 students
•     close to 7,000 tutors
•     more than 1,200 full-time academic staff
•     more than 3,500 support and administrative staff

The Open University is unique because it is the only university in the UK that is dedicated to distance learning. Although it has an administrative building, there are no lecture theatres, seminar rooms or halls of residence. Instead, all students studying via the OU get to study their degree from home - being sent relevant materials via the post or by email and completing and returning the essays and assessments by the same method.

·         It was established in 1969, and the first students started in January 1971. The majority of students are based in the UK, but its courses can be studied from anywhere in the world.

·         The administration is based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, but has regional centres in each of its thirteen regions around the UK.

·         It was rated top University in England and Wales for student satisfaction in the 2005 and 2006 UK government national student satisfaction survey.