The Open University offers programmes in countries around the world, both taught directly from the OU, and delivered through local partners.
Studying with the OU in Europe
The university operates in two ways across Europe. In many countries in Western and Central Europe students register directly with the OU for its courses and programmes. Our students in Europe include many working for government and NGOs as well as global businesses. Those whose life or work takes them from the UK to Europe or from one European country to another can continue their studies without interruption.
There are currently more than 9,000 people studying OU courses in English in mainland Europe. They study the same materials as students in the UK, supported by their own tutor. Depending on where and what they are studying some also have access to online forums and face-to-face tutorials. The Open University Business School runs regular information and networking events across Europe, while Europe also boasts thriving branches of OUSA, the Open University Students' Association.
The OU partners with education providers in Eastern Europe
Additionally, in a number of countries in Eastern Europe the OU operates in partnership with local providers. These partnerships were formed when the emergence of a free market economy in Eastern Europe created an urgent need for management education. Working with organisations such as the British government's Know How Fund, and education and training providers in those countries, the OU has supported the establishment of programmes, usually taught in local languages, enabling tens of thousands of people to obtain internationally recognised business and management qualifications.
OU partnerships in Romania, Russia and the Czech and Slovak Republics
Russian partnership
The OU's 18-year partnership with Russia's International Institute of Management (LINK) has assisted more than 60,000 managers to develop their business and management skills.
International Institute of Management (LINK)
The OU's International Development Office
The Open University has been committed to international development for over 20 years. We are globally recognised for our teaching and pioneering research within the sector, and for driving innovation.
Our teaching and education expertise directly addresses skills and leadership gaps, improves governance, boosts economies and drives social, technological and entrepreneurial innovation.
Our research, often in partnership with multiple institutions and stakeholders, is concentrated on pressing areas of need including medicine, international policy and health economics.
Uniquely, The Open University also helps deliver development programmes in partnership with governments, NGOs, funding institutions and local partners. Our programmes in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia address areas such as frontline health, teacher education and English language teaching.
The Open University’s International Development Office works alongside academic experts within the OU to create and deliver scalable development programmes and teaching and research initiatives which positively impact developing countries. We work where there is the greatest need: where our expertise can impact the many, rather than the few, and where our work helps create sustainable social and economic development.
Programmes include:
- HEAT, a healthcare education and training programme transforming the skills of frontline healthcare workers across sub-Saharan Africa
- English in Action in Bangladesh, a technology-enhanced English language education programme on target to reach 25 million people across the country by 2017
- TESSA was launched in 2005 to transform the education of primary and secondary school teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa
- Transforming English Language Skills in Higher Education in Pakistan - designed to transform the use of the English language within higher education institutions in Pakistan.
Find out more about The Open University’s International Development Office.
The Arab OU
In partnership with the OU, the Arab Open University established its headquarters in Kuwait and began teaching students in 2002. With branches in Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia, its aim is the democratisation of higher education in the Arab world, irrespective of students' gender, age, income or location.
Women make up approximately 45 per cent of the total student population.
Since its launch almost 30,000 students have embarked on an OU-validated qualifications with the Arab OU. And there are plans for 22 countries to be involved over time.
Other international programmes
During the 1970s and 1980s the OU was instrumental in assisting many governments to set up their own open universities, providing long-term consultancy. Among the largest of these are India's Indira Gandhi National Open University and Allama Iqbal open University in Pakistan.
Today, a number of partnerships across Asia enable institutions to draw on OU expertise in open and distance learning, to open up access and foster academic co-ooperation across continents. These include partnerships in Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam.
