OU Handbook for Validated Awards

The Handbook sets out the principles and regulations for Open University validated awards, including the assurance of quality through peer review and the emphasis on institutions’ ownership of the quality assurance and enhancement of validated programmes of study through their partnerships with the University.

The Handbook is updated annually in line with the Quality Assurance Agency or QAA's UK Quality Code for Higher Education. The annual update also reflects developments in higher education and within the OU, as well as the feedback received from our varied readership.  

Please send any comments or questions you may have about the handbook to ouvp-director@open.ac.uk.

Download the OU Handbook for Validated Awards 2023-24