The Open University in Scotland

Please name the main purpose of your business.
The Open University in Scotland is the largest university in Scotland measured by Scottish domiciled students, with around 20,000 students across the length and breadth of Scotland. We offer high quality distance learning to students, lifelong learners, communities, employees, and businesses.

Findings from the Open University’s Business Barometer Report (2023) produced in association with the British Chamber of Commerce’, highlighted that many organisations continue to report skills shortages, and these shortages are having significant impacts on both existing staff and the ability of the organisations to operate and grow. Skills shortages are driven by a wide range of factors, including a lack of applicants to roles, but also retirement, illness, and staff salary expectations, exacerbated by a cost-of-living crisis.

At the Open University in Scotland, we can help businesses to improve their skills position by offering a vast range of business orientated education through our excellent distance learning approach. Our provision allows learners to ‘earn while they learn’ which could help to resolve some of the issues they are facing.

What are the benefits to operating in Moray?
The OU in Scotland provides supported distance learning, enabling individuals and businesses from across all regions of Scotland to access high quality courses and qualifications that support upskilling, reskilling, productivity and financial performance improvements as well as the ability to attract, develop and retain a higher skilled workforce. As a region with a high volume of SME and seasonal businesses, the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the OU offer is enabling individuals and businesses from across Moray to earn whilst they learn.

How do you connect to your local customers?
Working closely with the Moray Chamber of Commerce, the OU in Scotland connects to the local Moray business community through local networking events, face to face meetings as well as regular articles and promotions that are published on the chamber website and social media platforms.

Why are you part of Moray Chamber of Commerce?
Working with the Chamber allows the OU in Scotland to build a strong understanding of the local community and what areas matter most to both individuals and businesses in regard to skills, workforce development and learning. We then work together to ensure that those needs are met by offering the right high-quality provision at the right time.

What are you most proud of?
Across the Moray region 395 individuals have studied OU courses and qualifications over the last 12 months. Business engagement with the OU in Scotland is also increasing across the region, with many businesses now benefiting from OU courses through the Scottish Governments Upskilling and Flexible Workforce Development Funds - aimed at providing access to high quality upskilling and reskilling opportunities.

One benefactor of this approach was Sarah Medcraf, Moray Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, who successfully completed an OU in Scotland microcredential using the Flexible Workforce Development Fund - well done Sarah!

Finally, name one misconception that people have about your business.

Most people we talk to still believe that our focus is on under and postgraduate degrees, but we are so much more than that. We have a wide variety of provision and services on offer such as:

• 1000’s of courses, learning resources and training videos via the OU’s free OpenLearn platform
• 100’s of short, accredited and non-accredited courses, CPD modules and microcredentials in areas such as:
  • People Management
  • Business Leadership
  • Project Management
  • Digital
  • Education, Mentoring & Coaching
  • Health & Social Care
  • Sustainability / Green
• Graduate apprenticeship and internship programmes
• Opportunity Hub – a free service that enables businesses to advertise their vacancies to over 20,000 OU in Scotland students each year.

We will work with you to understand your goal’s and needs and align our resources and expertise to help you move forward and succeed in an ever-changing economic and societal landscape.

Find out more about The Open University in Scotland here