Accessibility statement

Student Voice Newsletter December 2023

There's lots of exciting opportunities to get involved with:

• Student Voice Festival

• Freshers

• Student Consultation Online Forums: January

• Recruitment of Student Representatives

• Student Consultation Meetings (March 2023) Full Response

• Student Charter: What Value Are You Quiz

Student Voice Festival - 24 February - 10 March

The Open University is committed to making the student experience the very best it can be. But we can’t do this without hearing from students just like you – it’s time to have your say at our 16 day Student Voice Festival!.

Join us at the Festival to meet other OU students, share your thoughts and experiences on topics ranging from cost of living, sustainability, mental health and wellbeing, to tuition, and get inspired by the positive changes student feedback has made to the university so far. There will also be community sessions such as coffee morning and bingo, so you can get to know your fellow students even better. Additionally, there will be an opportuntiy to come to face-to-face sessions across the 16 days, with sessions running in Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, and two more English locations to be confirmed (one in the North and one in the South).

Freshers - 22 January - 4 February

Freshers Fortnight is coming from 22 January - 4 February!

• Open to new and returning students

• Meet fellow students in meet-ups and events

• Win fantastic prizes in competitions and prize draws

You can sign up to our Freshers mailing list to keep up to date with all things Freshers from the OU Students Association.

Student Consultation Online Forums - January

In January, we will be running two Student Consultation Online Forums that you can get involved with:

• Early Student Experiences - 15 - 29 January

Help us to improve an important student feedback tool! In Student Support we run an annual survey of new students to ask them about their experience of our information, advice and guidance services both as an enquirer before starting to study and as a student.

We are in the process of redesigning the survey to ensure it remains a meaningful and effective way of gathering student feedback on our key support services.

We would like to engage with our students to gather their views to improve the new version of the survey questionnaire through a discussion forum in January next year moving onto an online focus group later if beneficial. This is your opportunity to help us to shape this questionnaire to meet our new student needs and enable us to capture your feedback so that we can use this to review, inform and improve our information and advice services.

• Fitness to Practise Policy- 24 January - 7 February

Fitness to practise describes your ability to meet professional standards. Roles in the professions covered by this procedure are challenging and entail a high degree of responsibility as well as requiring the ability to work safely with individuals and groups in vulnerable situations.

We have reviewed the Fitness to Practise Procedure this year with the aim of making it much easier to read and understand. Although you will review the latest version, effective December 2023, we want to understand your thoughts and receive your ideas to improve on this. We will use your feedback to create objectives for our next review of this policy.

In January, we will send out all the relevant information on how to join these forums but please save the dates in your diaries if you want to get involved!

Recruitment of Student Representatives

Would you like to use your knowledge and unique voice to enhance the teaching and learning experience of OU students? Want to expand your CV whilst benefiting others? Apply now to be a Student Representative!

Be part of this exciting opportunity and unlock your potential through workshops, panels and meetings that give students the chance to speak on matters that will impact you during your time as an OU student.

You can develop your abilities within communication, leadership and professional writing skills, all whilst helping create and grow student-led communities as part of a team that has a long history of making incredible changes that will continue long into the future.

We currently have vacancies for student reps across a wide range of subjects within all faculties including post-graduate research students. We value diversity and we recognise that different people have different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength, so apply today to make sure your unique and important views are heard.

Applications close Sunday 14 January 23:59, so to find out more and get your application in, visit the Students Association website today!

Student Consultation Meetings - Full Response

Although it has been a few months, you may remember sharing your views with us on Starting Your Studies With the OU, Student Induction and the Careers and Employability Service in March 2023 as part of our online and face-to-face Student Consultation Meetings. Thank you once again for giving your time and sharing your feedback with us on these topics, to allow us to improve the student experience!

Since then, staff have been analysing your feedback — you can read the summary of feedback here — and we are now getting in touch to share the full response to the Student Consultation Meetings, including next steps.

Look out how you get involved in our face-to-face days in the Student Voice Festival, as these are our new Student Consultation Meetings!