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Motion · S6M-04844 · 7 Jun 2022

The Role of the Open University

Lodged by Christine Grahame Members' Business Motion 30 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament notes what it sees as the important contribution of the Open University (OU) to education in Scotland; understands that there were 22,000 OU students in Scotland in 2020-21, with students in every Scottish Parliament constituency and every local authority area, including 395 in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, as well as almost half a million informal learners, making the OU the fourth largest university in Scotland; further understands that the OU works collaboratively with businesses, local authorities, the NHS, social care, the third sector and trade unions to provide skills through multiple programmes; considers the OU and its flexible learning model as particularly important in widening access to education, as shown by statistics demonstrating that, of OU students, 23% live in rural or remote areas, 20% join undergraduate programmes without standard university entrance qualifications, and 24% declare a disability, with the average age of students being 28, and with as many students recruited from the most deprived areas as the least deprived; believes that the OU plays a vital role in providing access to education for those who may not wish to, or be able to, undertake traditional models of study, subsequently improving their career prospects and providing much needed skills in the workforce, particularly in STEM subjects, which 40% of OU students from Scotland are studying, and congratulates all involved at OU, both student and staff, in making it the institution it is today.

Supporters (30)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.