Open University hits 50-year milestone

The Open University (OU) is marking 50 years since it was established, having welcomed more than 200,000 students from Scotland.

In 1969 the institution was granted its Royal Charter as a means to provide access to higher education without the need for entrance qualifications. The university, founded by Lochgelly’s Jennie Lee, now has 16,500 students from across Scotland.

Susan Stewart, director of OU in Scotland, said: “The OU is for all, all of the time, not some ... there’s no such thing as a typical OU student.

“But what they all have in common is lots going on in their lives. The OU gives students the flexibility they need to study at a time and place that suits them, developing the skills they need not just to adapt but thrive in an economy increasingly driven by technological change.”