The Open University (OU) has won Public/Private Partnership of the year at the 2020 PIEoneer awards in recognition of its successful partnership with Uber.
The winners were announced in a virtual awards ceremony on Friday 2 October and the OU was up against some very strong competition in its category.
Accepting the award, Simon Tindall, Head of Skills and Innovation at The Open University, said:
“ I want to thank the people directly involved in this project both on the side of Uber and The Open University, without whom it wouldn’t have been as exciting, innovative and ultimately as successful as it has been. The programme has not only helped Uber retain their top tier drivers, but it has also given those drivers and their families an opportunity to build on their education and open up future opportunities”
The Uber programme launched in January 2020 and gives eligible drivers or a nominated member of their family, the opportunity to study with The Open University with their fees funded by Uber and has so far seen over 750 drivers enrol. It is part of a tiered loyalty system called Uber Pro, which enables drivers to unlock benefits based on customer ratings and the number of trips they have completed.
Around 70% of Uber drivers are first generation migrants to the UK. This programme aligns with the OU’s social remit and has provided opportunities to many who previous thought higher education study in the UK was not affordable.
For further details about the Uber partnership can be found on the Skillshub website.
Click here for more information on the PIEoneer awards
