Hugh and the OU shortlisted in Times Higher Education Award

Hugh McFaul has been shortlisted in the Most Innovative Teacher of the Year category in the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2020. The OU has also been shortlisted for University of the Year in the annual awards which are recognising outstanding work and exceptional performance across the higher education sector for 2018-19.

The Senior Lecturer in Law and Co-Director of the Open Justice Centre has been nominated in a category which recognises the academic whose imagination and passion have transformed a course and inspired students. He has led the development of a ground-breaking distance learning law module, Justice in Action, which combines academic study of social justice and legal ethics with the opportunity to participate in professional standard legal pro bono work.

I’m delighted to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award which gives important recognition to the Open Justice Centre and the OU Law School. Our innovative use of digital technologies to support socially engaged legal education is pioneering within the field and resonates strongly with the OU’s core aims of being open to people, places, methods and ideas.

Hugh McFaul
Co-Director of the Open Justice Centre, OU Law School

The OU has also beaten off stiff competition to be one of the finalists in the University of the Year category.

The OU’s 50th anniversary was a landmark moment in our history, and it is fantastic to be recognised for all that we achieved in 2018-19. This is from celebrating the proud history of the OU, to delivering pioneering partnerships and initiatives which will build on our legacy for years to come. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this happen.

Jhumar Johnson
OU’s Director of Development

The judges said that they were ‘gratified by the huge number of entries at a time when university staff had so many demands on their time’ and ‘this has been a year like no other, and universities have faced unprecedented challenges as a result of the pandemic'.