Type: School
On the web: http://www.open.ac.uk

The Open University (OU) provides undergraduate and continuing education courses to students via distance methods including online courses and 13 regional centers across the UK. Some 150,000 undergraduate and 30,000 postgraduate students are enrolled, making it the UK's largest university. More than 25,000 students live outside the UK. There are no enrollment qualifications for the school's undergraduate classes; around 70% of students work full-time in addition to attending classes. The university -- which has a style of teaching called "supported open learning" or "distance learning" and allows students to learn in their own time -- has been ranked highly for teaching quality. OU was established in 1969.

Officers:
Vice Chancellor: Prof Brenda Gourley
Finance Director: Deborah Green
Media Contact: Louis De La Foiet

Competitors:
Apollo Group
Laureate Education
University of Liverpool

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