The Open University in top 10 for course quality in Uni Compare rankings

Posted on 9 June 2025 • University news

Senior leaders and staff at The Open University (OU) are celebrating after the institution jumped up 26 places into sixth position in  Uni Compare’s leaderboard for course quality. 

Additionally, the OU, which has been providing distance learning for more than 50 years, has retained third place position in the rankings for the employability of its students. 

Since its launch in 1969, more than 2.3m people from across the world have completed their studies with the OU and it remains one of the largest universities in Europe with 200,000 students. 

Alumni views crucial to gaining the ranking

In order to collate its employability rankings, Uni Compare considers how universities help their students prepare for life when they graduate. 

This can include industry placements or career support but canvassing the opinions of past students is also a contributing factor. 

Crucial to gaining this ranking are the views of Open University alumni, relating to how they secured work after graduation and how much support they received upon leaving. 

Professor Ian Pickup, interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the OU, said:

“I am delighted that the quality of our courses at the OU has received this well-deserved recognition. Firstly, we must celebrate the hard work of all our students in achieving all they do through their studies with us, and the role this plays in their employability and success. Our achievement in these rankings is also testament to our continuous delivery of high-quality distance learning education and providing a consistently excellent student experience.” 

There is no ‘typical’ OU student, but The Open University is increasingly seeing younger people choose to study remotely with them, saving on living expenses by choosing to work from home.