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The Open University (OU) is a distance learning university which has students all over the UK. The administration is based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire although it has offices in each region of the UK. It also has over 25,000 students studying overseas. It awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and diplomas and certificates.With over 200,000 students enrolled (in 2003), it is the largest academic institution in the UK, and qualifies as one of the world's mega universities. Since it was founded over 3 million students have studied its courses.
1 Aims
The OU aims to provide a University for those wishing to pursue higher education on a part-time or distance learning basis, including disabled people, who are officially a priority group within the University. The British Government asked the Open University to continue the work of the Council for National Academic AwardsThe Council for National Academic Awards CNAA was a degree awarding authority, from the 1965, in the United Kingdom until the early 1992. The council awarded academic degrees at polytechnic and other college institutions until they were awarded university (CNAA) when it was dissolved. The CNAA formerly awarded degrees at the polytechnicThe term polytechnic from the Greek πολύ #x70;olú meaning "many" and τεχνικός #x74;ekhnikós meaning "arts", is coms which have since become universities.
2 Foundation
The Open University was founded by the Labour governmentA government is an organization that has the power to make and enforce laws for a certain territory. There are several definitions on what exactly constitutes a government. The government has been defined as the dominant decision-making arm (the policy el of Harold WilsonJames Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx KG, OBE, PC ( March 11, 1916 May 24, 1995) was one of the more successful Labour Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and a 1960s icon. Wilson is regarded by many as probably one of the more intellectual poli, based on the vision of Michael YoungFor the Major League Baseball player, Michael Young, see Michael Young (baseball player). Michael Young, Lord Young of Dartington ( August 9, 1915 January 14, 2002) was a British sociologist, social activist and politician. During an active life he founde (later Lord Young of Dartington). Planning commenced in 19651965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). Events January-February January 4 United States President Lyndon Johnson proclaims his " Great Society" during his State of the Union address. January 14 Prime Ministers of N under Minister of State for EducationThe Secretary of State for Education and Skills is the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government. A Committee of the Privy Council was appointed in 1839 to supervise the distribution of certain Government g Jennie Lee Ashridge, who lead an advisory committee consistsing of university vice-chancellors, educationalists and broadcasters.
Walter Perry (later Lord Perry) was appointed the OU's first vice-chancellor in January 1969. A new Conservative Heath government in 1970 led to the budget cuts under Chancellor of the Exchequer Iain Macleod (who had earlier called the idea of an Open University "blithering nonsense"). However the OU accepted its first 25,000 students in 1971, adopting a radical open entry policy and, for a university, radical teaching methods. The total 'traditional' University population in the UK was around 130,000.
Since its foundation, the OU has inspired many other similar institutions around the world.
