What is the Open University?
Q: What is the Open University?
A: The Open University (OU) is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom. It has an open entry policy, meaning students' previous academic achievements are not taken into account for entry to most undergraduate courses. Most OU undergraduate students are based in the UK and study off-campus, but many of its courses can be studied anywhere in the world.
Q: Where is the Open University located?
A: The university administration is based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, but it also has regional centres in each of its thirteen regions around the United Kingdom and offices and regional examination centres in most other European countries.
Q: How many students does the Open University have?
A: With more than 250,000 students enrolled, including around 32,000 aged under 25 and more than 50,000 overseas students, it is one of the largest universities in Europe by student number. Since it was founded, more than 1.5 million students have studied its courses.
Q: What kind of degrees does the Open University offer?
A: The OU awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees as well as non-degree qualifications such as diplomas and certificates or continuing education units.
Q: Is there a campus for full-time postgraduate research students?
A: Yes - there are a number of full-time postgraduate research students based on the 48 hectare university campus where they use OU facilities for research as well as over 1000 members of academic and research staff and 2500 administrative staff.
Q: How satisfied are Open University's Students?
A: The OU was rated top university in England and Wales for student satisfaction in 2005, 2006 second in 2007 top again 2012 according to national student satisfaction surveys conducted by UK government agencies. In 2008 it was ranked 43rd (second quartile) out of 132 universities/colleges according to Times Higher Education Table of Excellence while being highly rated Design Art History English Earth Environmental Sciences Computer Science Development Studies Social Policy Social Work Sociology overall nationally top forty globally top five hundred according to Academic Ranking World Universities 2011 247 citations academics .
