OU Student Charter

How our community works

The Open University is more than just a place of learning – it's a community. As members of the OU community, we – staff and students – have responsibilities to each other, which, when met, allow all members to achieve their full potential and the University to flourish.

The University and Students Association take the Student Charter, developed jointly, very seriously and are fully committed to its implementation. It sets out what we can all expect of each other and is a declaration of our shared values rather than a rule book.

Take a look at this short video about the Student Charter.

The Open University Student Charter

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1 min 47 sec

Student Charter – How our community works

The Open University is more than just a place of learning – it's a community where staff and students have responsibilities to each other.

Meeting our responsibilities as a community allows students and staff to achieve their full potential and the University to flourish.

The Student Charter is developed jointly with the Students Association and describes how the University community should work together.

• We treat each other with dignity and respect.
• We aim to inspire and enable learning.
• We share the responsibility for learning.
• We work together to secure the University’s mission and values.

We'll review this Student Charter every year to make sure it reflects our current needs and challenges while continuing to support the key aim of helping all our students to succeed.

As a welcoming and inclusive community, we:

• behave with courtesy and respect
• challenge bullying and harassment
• are committed to study and research
• value diversity and are stronger for it
• engage all students in decision-making
• care about ethics and the environment
• recognise contributions that all members make.

We actively support the Students Association to foster a vibrant student community and to promote student interests.

Visit our website at www.open.ac.uk or http://www2.open.ac.uk/students/charter

Siarter y Myfyrwyr y Brifysgol Agored

Play video

1 min 48 sec

Siarter y Myfyrwyr - Sut mae ein cymuned yn gweithio

Mae'r Brifysgol Agored yn fwy na lle i ddysgu - mae'n gymuned

lle mae gan staff a myfyrwyr gyfrifoldeb am y naill a'r llall.

Mae bodloni ein cyfrifoldebau fel cymuned yn caniatáu ein myfyrwyr a staff i gyflawni hyd at eu gallu, a chaniatáu'r Brifysgol i ffynnu.

Datblygwyd y Siarter y Myfyrwyr ar y cyd â Chymdeithas y Myfyrwyr, ac mae'n egluro sut y dylai cymuned y Brifysgol weithio gyda'i gilydd.

• Rydym yn trin y naill a'r llall gyda pharch ac urddas
• Rydym yn ceisio ysbrydoli a hyrwyddo dysgu
• Rydym yn rhannu'r cyfrifoldeb o ddysgu
• Rydym yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd i ddiogelu cenhadaeth a gwerthoedd y Brifysgol

Byddwn yn adolygu'r Siarter y Myfyrwyr bob blwyddyn i sicrhau ei bod yn adlewyrchu ein hanghenion a heriau presennol wrth barhau i gefnogi'r brif nod, sef helpu bob un o'n myfyrwyr i lwyddo.

Rydym yn gymuned groesawgar a chynhwysfawr, ac

• yn ymddwyn gyda chwrteisi a pharch
• yn herio bwlio ac aflonyddwch
• wedi ymrwymo i astudiaeth ac ymchwil
• yn gwerthfawrogi amrywiaeth ac yn gryfach oherwydd hynny
• yn cynnwys yr holl fyfyrwyr wrth wneud penderfyniadau
• yn gofalu am foeseg a'r amgylchedd
• yn cydnabod cyfraniadau gan bob un o'n haelodau

Rydym yn cefnogi'n weithredol Cymdeithas y Myfyrwyr i feithrin cymuned o fyfyrwyr bywiog a hyrwyddo diddordebau myfyrwyr.

Gweler ein gwefan open.ac.uk neu http://www2.open.ac.uk/students/charter

Four principles

The Student Charter describes ways in which members of the University community should work together in partnership and is underpinned by four principles:

1. We treat each other with dignity and respect.
2. We aim to inspire and enable learning.
3. We share the responsibility for learning.
4. We work together to secure the University’s mission and values – to be open to people, to places, to methods and to ideas; and to be inclusive, innovative and responsive.

As the University continues to change and evolve, we will review this Charter every year to ensure it reflects our current needs and challenges, while continuing to support the key aim of helping all our students to succeed.

Our values

As members of a welcoming and inclusive community:

1. We treat each other with courtesy, tolerance and respect, respecting the rights of individuals to hold different beliefs and views and to express them appropriately in line with our commitments to freedom of speech and academic freedom.
2. We value diversity, anticipate and challenge inequalities, and commit to being an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, accessible and inclusive university, so all feel a sense of belonging.
3. We are committed to an economically and environmentally sustainable future for our University.
4. We communicate with each other in ways which are clear, relevant, accurate and timely.
5. We actively support the Students Association to engage with all its members to foster a vibrant student community and to promote student interests.
6. We actively support authentic student engagement in University decision-making, closing the feedback loop; and commit to building partnership between staff and students.
7. We act ethically and transparently, providing and making use of fair and open means to deal with our concerns and grievances, learning from them.
8. We challenge and report bullying and harassment and ensure that all members of our University community can work and study safely.
9. We are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all members of our University community.
10. As students, we share the responsibility for learning and commit to study, research and engage using the resources and support services available, upholding the highest standards of academic conduct and academic integrity.
11. As staff, we each play our role in enabling equitable high quality learning and advancing knowledge and understanding through research and scholarly activity, ensuring every student is supported.
12. We work to maintain and enhance the standards and reputation of our University recognising the contributions that all members make to its success.

Related links

• Student Policies and Regulations
• Complaints and appeals process
• Dignity and Respect Policy
• Equality at the OU
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policies
• Mental health, wellbeing and keeping safe