Open University Validation Services

Institutional Approval and Validation

The Open University offers a comprehensive institutional approval and programme validation service for providers of higher education worldwide. This service is delivered by OU Validation Services (OUVS).

OUVS Key Principles

The Open University approach to approval and validation is based on the following key principles:

Establishing a partnership between The Open University (through OUVS) and the approved institution to enable the institution to offer programmes leading to Open University validated degrees.
Providing a supportive framework within which approved institutions take responsibility for the quality assurance and day-to-day management of their own academic programmes.
Recognising that approved institutions should decide the range of academic programmes that they wish to offer subject to meeting The Open University’s established institutional approval criteria.
Using groups of experts from academic institutions, the professions, the business community and other appropriate organisations to make peer judgements about the quality of institutions and the learning programmes that they offer.

The Process of OU Institutional Approval and Validation

Institutions wishing to offer programmes leading to Open University validated awards must first be approved. However, the validation of one or more specific programmes can occur in parallel with the institutional approval process.

The institutional approval and programme validation processes involve a series of interactions between OUVS and the institution, culminating in a visit by a ‘peer review’ panel lasting one or two days, depending on the complexity of the proposal.
Detailed information about the principles and processes of institutional approval and validation by OUVS is included in the documents below.

What is Institutional Approval?

What is Programme Validation?

What is Peer Review?

OUVS Information Pack
More detailed information about OUVS Principles and Processes can be found in our Information Pack.
[May 2010]

OUVS Information Pack (104kb)

OUVS Frequently Asked Questions
[May 2010]

Frequently Asked Questions (36kb)

OUVS Application Form
[July 2010]

OUVS Application Form (255 Kb)