The Open University is to receive an extra £12 million in funding to develop its role as a national leader in distance learning, the Prime Minister has said.
Visit the Open University website
Former students, tutors and the Vice Chancellor of the UK’s largest higher education institute attended a reception at Downing Street to mark the Open University’s 40th anniversary.
Gordon Brown said the Open University has embraced technology, which has in turn helped to open up higher education to more people.
“Our new digital world, and in particular the internet, has dramatically expanded the number of ways that universities can teach their stud
ents, helping them to reach people in much more flexible ways, and giving students on the other side of the world a chance to experience the same high quality education enjoyed by students here in Britain.”
This week the Government announced a £20 million Open Learning Innovation fund to promote creative online learning, and a taskforce of experts to examine how to expand e-learning and access to online course materials.
The taskforce will include the next Open University Vice Chancellor, Martin Bean, as well as the British Library, the British Council, Microsoft, Apple and the BBC.
The Open University was established in 1969 and has more than 200,000 students.
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