Widening Participation

Widening participation is at the heart of our mission, firmly embedded in our core values and central to our strategic objectives. In 1969 our mission was to provide educational opportunity to those in society who were excluded from the life chances that higher education could bring. Today, this commitment remains as strong as ever, and we continue to look for ways to extend educational opportunities and achieve social justice by providing high-quality university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.
Visit our Widening Participation website

Our Government and External Affairs team works to develop and maintain the OU’s relationships with politicians and key organisations. We monitor the political landscape and work in partnership with external organisations to protect the interests of Open University students and the University, particularly in relation to funding for widening participation. Our priority is to convey the OU’s contribution to social mobility and economic growth, our innovations in teaching and learning, and our high quality research.

photographer: Richard Learoyd