Professor John Butcher is the Director of Access, Open and Cross-curricular Innovation at the Open University. In this post, John reflects on his own experiences of being a learner and some of the barriers that he had to overcome.

I remember the first time I was asked to appear as an interviewee on SHL (Karen was very persuasive). It was quite early in its history. SHL seemed a bold new innovation for the OU in seeking to connect with students, in lieu of a conventional university’s Fresher’s Week. Continue reading →

Lynne Watson is Student Support academic lead for health, wellbeing and social care at the OU.  She lives in Surrey with her husband and dog, Lilly!

Here we are in March 2021, but, well, who can tell the difference between now and March 2020! Except a lot has changed and as the buds start appearing on trees, and daffodils lift their flowers to the sun, there is now the glimmer of hope for better months ahead. In fact more than a glimmer and, like coming out of hibernation, there is so much to tempt and excite us. From programmes such as Life In Colour, currently airing on BBC, to lots of exciting things happening at The Open University including, of course, Student Hub Live. Continue reading →