OU in Wales Director announces retirement

Louise Casella, Director of The Open University in Wales, has announced that she will step down from her role, and retire in June 2023.

Since joining in early 2018, Louise has led The Open University in Wales through a significant period of growth – more than doubling student numbers, from around 7,500 learners in 2018 to more than 15,500 in 2023, increasing geographic reach into every local authority across Wales, and making flexible lifelong learning accessible for everyone in Wales.

The last five years have also seen the introduction of exciting new developments at the OU in Wales, including innovative approaches to professional education for public service with a new Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, allowing graduates to study flexibly, in both Welsh and English, to join the teaching profession, fresh approaches to nurse education and an expansion in social work provision as well as a new Degree Apprenticeship in Applied Software Engineering.

In 2020, following the coronavirus outbreak, and at the request of the then Education Minister Kirsty Williams, Louise chaired the Independent Review into how GCSE and A-Level qualifications were awarded in Wales following the cancellation of exams.

Louise is one of the longest serving leaders in higher education in Wales, having worked in Welsh universities since 1988. She has previously served as Pro Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham Glyndwr University, and Director of Strategic Development at Cardiff University.

Louise Casella said:

“This has been a hard decision, as I know I am stepping down from one of the best and most enjoyable roles in education in Wales. I am very proud of what we do at The Open University in Wales – thanks to the hard work of my colleagues and our partners in Wales, we’ve managed to grow our reach and help so many people who may never have thought about studying at a university, get started on life-transforming learning.

“After more than thirty-five years working in universities in Wales, I am so proud that my last role has been at The Open University, an organisation that epitomises the opportunity and transformation offered by education. I’ll be very sad to say goodbye to the university and the excellent team I leave behind me, however I am very much looking forward to different kinds of adventures with family and friends.

“I wish The Open University the very best for the future, and I’m certain my colleagues will find a brilliant candidate to continue to drive the organisation forward in Wales.”

Tim Blackman, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University added:

“Louise has made an outstanding contribution to Wales, the university’s Executive Team and the wider Open University, including significant growth in student numbers, new grant funding, managing and supporting staff and students through the pandemic, building new partnerships and setting up PolicyWISE, our new cross-UK initiative promoting public policy research and knowledge exchange, as well as undertaking important policy roles in Wales. On behalf of the Executive Team and the wider OU family I’d like to thank her for all her contributions and wish her well for the future and a long and happy retirement.”