Student and Staff Community Values

OU Student Charter

The Open University (OU) and Open SU created the Student Charter in partnership, building on the OU mission to be open to people, to places, to methods and to ideas.

The Student Charter is a statement of values for our OU community of students and staff from across our four nations and beyond. All members of our community are expected to uphold its values, which are reviewed annually.

Respect

We treat each other with dignity and respect.

We express our different opinions and beliefs with kindness and consideration for others.

We work together to ensure the OU is a safe place for all.

We commit to freedom of speech and academic freedom.

Learning

We support life-changing learning that is innovative, inclusive, and responsive.

We support our students to succeed, whoever and wherever they are.

We uphold high standards of academic conduct and academic integrity.

We support quality research with a passionate curiosity about the world.

Equity

We value the rich diversity of students and staff.

We champion equity by breaking down barriers and challenging inequality wherever it exists.

We are an anti-racist and anti-discriminatory university. 

We commit to accessibility and inclusivity by design.

We support our commitments to the Welsh language.

Community

We support wellbeing and work together to ensure all students and staff know that they matter at the OU.

We value the important role played by the Open SU in engaging students and advocating for their interests.

We collaborate and work in partnership to improve the OU experience. 

We value the influence of student and staff voices in OU decision-making and communicate the impact of this engagement.

Integrity

We act ethically and transparently. 

We address concerns fairly, holding ourselves to account.

We commit to environmental sustainability, now and for the future.

We work together to ensure the future of the OU as a place of reputable open education.

OU staff and students explain the importance of the Student Charter and why it matters to them

We have provided a downloadable version of our Student Charter if required.

Student and Staff Community Values: OU Student Charter