The Board of Governance of the United States Open University is in the UK for its eighth meeting, part of an in-depth visit to see and experience the OU first-hand. The visit, spread over several days, has included participation in an OU degree ceremony in Birmingham; a formal board meeting at the OU Conference Centre in London; a reception in the House of Commons (by invitation of Madam Speaker The Rt. Hon Betty Boothroyd, MP, Chancellor of the Open University); dinner at the House of Lords (by invitation of Lord Perry of Walton, the first Vice-Chancellor of the Open University); and a day-long visit to Milton Keynes.
The United States Open University was launched last year to bring the OU’s unique supported open learning approach to the United States. Prof. Marc Eisenstadt, KMi Director, serves on the Board of Governance of USOU, and in this capacity is helping USOU staff to host today’s visit. During the Milton Keynes part of the visit, USOU Board members will be hearing a series of presentations about key aspects of Open University work, including the following:
- John Shipley (shown in the photo), Regional Director, The Open University in the North, presented “How the OU works from the students perspective and what Regional Centre does in support of students”
- Dr. Richard Allen, Head of Literature at the OU, and Program Director, English and Humanities, USOU, presented “Developing, producing and delivering an OU course from the Faculty perspective”, a case study based on the OU’s popular Shakespeare course now being deliverd to USOU students.
- Prof. Marc Eisenstadt and Dr. Simon Buckingham Shum presented “Knowledge Media innovations: webcasting with WebSymposia and live virtual classrooms with Lyceum.”
- Prof. Roland Kaye, Dean of the OU Business School, presented “The USOU and OU MBA: A World Degree”
