50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

That this House congratulates the Open University (OU) on its 50th anniversary; notes that its mission of opening up education for all through flexible distance learning is as relevant today as it was in 1969; celebrates the over two million students who have been taught by the OU since 1969; supports the OU’s open entry policy and the vital role this plays in terms of social mobility; commends the 174,000 students studying with the OU in 2019; notes that the OU is not just the UK’s largest university but the only one operating across all four nations of the UK; wishes the OU continued success in the future; and calls for Government policies that support and incentivise lifelong learning.