The Open University

The UK's distance-learning university, based in Milton Keynes, offering degrees and apprenticeships to people who study part-time from home.

About The Open University

The Open University (OU) is described as a world leader in modern distance learning. It was the world's first successful distance teaching university, founded on the idea that communications technology could bring degree-level study to people who could not attend a traditional campus.

Its stated mission is to be 'open to people, places, methods and ideas'. A job-board profile also mentions an open admissions policy, work to widen participation and learning resources made available free of charge.

The OU is based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. We did not find a current staff or student count on the pages we read.

The OU does not list explicit company values on the page we read. It has moved into degree apprenticeships: a 2016 article says its first three were in management, healthcare and computing, designed with employers, where apprentices combine work with online study and employers pay the tuition fees.

For jobs at the OU, a jobs board showed no vacancies listed when we read it, and we found no dated graduate scheme or internship. Check the OU careers site for current openings, or look at its apprenticeships if you want to earn while you study.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Undergraduate and postgraduate study from home.', 'title': 'Distance-learning degrees'}
• {'desc': 'Work-based degrees designed with employers.', 'title': 'Degree apprenticeships'}
• {'desc': 'Open learning material available at no charge.', 'title': 'Free learning resources'}

Key facts

• Based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK
• Mission: open to people, places, methods and ideas
• Early degree apprenticeships: management, healthcare, computing (2016 article)
• No vacancies shown on a jobs board when read

Website: www.open.ac.uk