It has been a successful year for The Open University’s free learning platform, OpenLearn, which has seen a significant rise in the number of people enrolling onto its courses.
890,000 people enrolled on an open learn course in the year 2022/23 compared to 794,000 the previous year (21/22).
The platform, which offers more than 900 free online courses across a diverse range of topics, also issued more than 350,000 statements of participation to learners who completed a course and 44,000 digital badges, helping it reach the 250,000 all-time badges landmark earlier in the year.
There was also notable increase in the percentage of UK-based visitors to its site, exceeding 50% for the first time in three years. Data also showed that it’s not just those new to the OU using OpenLearn, as 400,000 visits were made by logged-in OU students using the resources to supplement their formal studies.
Dr Patrina Law, Head of OpenLearn at The Open University, said:
“The short story is that OpenLearn continues to attract learners in huge numbers. However, most pleasing over the last 12 months has been the increased level of engagement with our learning materials. Course enrolments have risen, but so too have the number of certificates and digital badges earned. This is an essential component of bolstering learners’ employability and directly supporting lifelong, free learning as social infrastructure.
“The number of visits made to the site per visitor has increased, along with the number of OU students using OpenLearn resources. Importantly, we have seen a higher percentage of OpenLearn learners go on to make an enquiry about formal study with the OU, demonstrating again, the key role that OpenLearn has in delivering a pathway from free learning to formal education.”
One of the most popular courses for 22/23 was MSE Academy of Money, which was developed in partnership with Money Saving Expert and equips learners with skills and knowledge to manage their personal finances.
The most popular interactive activity was Do you have a photographic memory? Which invites users to take part in a quiz to test if they have an eidetic memory.
Other successes for the OpenLearn team include receiving the Open Resilience award for the third year running, this time for developing and translating resources for Ukrainians settling in the UK and Ireland.
Dr Patrina Law was also honored with the OE prestigious Leadership Award for demonstrating exemplary leadership and making contributions to Open Education that have had a global impact.
