National Student Survey
For the last five years, The Open University has been ranked first or second for overall student satisfaction in the UK in the National Student Survey (excluding specialist universities. In 2009, 94% of Open University students "definitely" or "mostly" agreed with the statement, "Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of my course".
155 higher education institutions (HEIs) across the UK and 117 further education colleges (FECs) in England took part in the survey.
Teaching Quality
The Open University has been ranked number 5 for the quality of its teaching in the Sunday Times University Guide in the most recent table (2005). 86.7% of The Open University's taught subjects were considered "excellent".
| Rank | Institution | % of excellent subjects since 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge | 96.3 |
| 2 | Loughborough | 94.4 |
| 3 | York | 93.8 |
| 4 | London School of Economics | 87.5 |
| 5 | The Open University | 86.7 |
| 6 | Oxford | 85.7 |
| 7 | Essex | 84.6 |
| 8 | Imperial | 81.8 |
| 9 | University College London | 77.4 |
| 10 | St. Mark and St. John | 75 |
USA Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
The Open University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Open University is one of only two UK higher education institutions to gain MSCHE accreditation.
OU Business School - Assurances of Quality
The OU Business School is accredited by the world's top management education associations - AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA - an achievement that puts us in an elite group. Less than one business school in a hundred worldwide is quadruple accredited.
AACSB
The OU Business School was the first business school offering exclusively distance learning to gain international accreditation from AACSB, the leading recognition body in the USA.
EQUIS & CEL
In 2005, the OU Business School was re-accredited with the prestigious European management development kitemark (EQUIS) by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). The OU Business School was also the first business school to receive the EFMD's Certification of elearning (CEL), recognising the innovative quality of the Professional Diploma in Management.
The Association of MBAs (AMBA)
The OU Business School's MBA programmes are accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) which uniquely represents the interests of MBA students and graduates, leading business schools and MBA employers.
Research at the OU
The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is a periodic Government audit designed to evaluate the quality of research in universities and colleges throughout the UK for each recognised discipline. The most recent exercise (RAE 2008) saw The Open University climb in the UK research league tables based on the assessment of its performance. The table below shows the proportion of research, in each of the units of assessment submitted by the University, deemed to be either world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised.
| Unit of assessment | World class and international quality |
|---|---|
| Computer Science & Informatics | 100% |
| History of Art, Architecture & Design | 100% |
| Earth Systems & Environmental Sciences | 95% |
| Geography & Environmental Studies | 95% |
| Social Work and Social Policy & Administration | 95% |
| Music | 95% |
| Statistics & Operational Research | 95% |
| Philosophy | 95% |
| Art & Design | 90% |
| English Language & Literature | 90% |
| History | 90% |
| Metallurgy & Materials | 90% |
| Sociology | 85% |
| Development Studies | 85% |
| Education | 85% |
| Classical Studies | 85% |
| Business & Management Studies | 80% |
| Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies | 75% |
| Biological Sciences | 70% |
| Mathematics | 70% |
| Accounting & Finance | 65% |
Most Satisfied Students*
| Institution** | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Buckingham | 96% | 92% | 95% |
| St Mary's University College | 94% | ||
| Open University | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| University of Oxford | 92% | 93% | |
| University of St Andrews | 93% | ||
| Aberystwyth University | 92% | ||
| University of Cambridge | 93% | 91% | 91% |
| University of East Anglia | 91% | 90% | 90% |
| University of Exeter | 91% | 90% | 90% |
| University of Sussex | 86% | 86% | 90% |
*Institutions are ranked on the percentage of students who "definitely" or "mostly" agreed with the statement, "Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of my course".
**Excludes specialist universities
Source: HEFCE (published in The Guardian and Times Higher Education)