The Open University stands at a pivotal moment in its history. More than 55 years after its founding, our mission to open up education and transform lives remains as vital as it was in 1969, but the context in which we deliver it is changing rapidly. Technological innovation, shifting patterns of work and learning, financial pressures across the sector, and growing demand for flexible, lifelong education all present both challenge and opportunity.
A world leader in open and flexible learning, the Open University is one of the largest universities in the world, serving over 200,000 students across the four nations of the UK, Ireland and worldwide. Our learners are diverse in background, age and circumstance, including thousands of students with declared disabilities, students studying in prisons and secure environments, and those balancing learning alongside work, caring responsibilities and other commitments. We play a unique role in widening participation, advancing social mobility and addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing society today.
Together, we are building on our distinctive strengths to shape what a modern university can be: a university without walls, embedded across society, working in partnership with schools, colleges, employers, local authorities and other universities to ensure we have a meaningful presence in communities across the UK and beyond.
In this context, the role of Pro-Chancellor and...