Partnership opens up new opportunities for National Trust

The Open University in Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland have today (20 September) signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will form the foundation of an exciting partnership between the two organisations.

The signing comes at the final event of the National Trust for Scotland's ‘Learning, Skills and Careers Tour’, which introduced the Trust’s new learning and development programme to their staff across Scotland. In our rapidly changing world, lifelong learning and the development of new skills is more important than ever.

The Open University (OU) in Scotland is delighted to support this new programme which will promote learning and development in the workplace and ensure that the National Trust for Scotland can continue its crucial work across Scotland. The Trust is an independent charity that cares for, shares and speaks up for Scotland's magnificent heritage.

As part of the partnership, OU provision was mapped against the Trust’s job families, providing a tailored selection of courses to support staff in their careers. In addition, content was mapped against key skills areas such as leadership, communication, creativity and digital skills.

The collaboration between the OU and the Trust will provide a wide variety of learning options for the Trust's staff, including free, bitesize courses on the OU's free learning site OpenLearn, to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) short courses, to credit-bearing Microcredentials.

This will ensure that all staff can benefit from the learning, no matter where they are in their career or what their educational background might be. As all of the OU’s learning is delivered online via distance learning, all Trust staff will have equal access to development opportunities, no matter where they are based.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today at the Trust’s headquarters in Edinburgh. It was signed by Jane Grant, OU in Scotland's Depute Director for External Engagement and Partnerships, and Philip Long OBE FRSE, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland (pictured).

20 September 2023