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Union says Open University must come clean over future plans

13 June 2017

Staff at the Open University have told the institution that it must set out exactly what plans for the future mean for staff. Complaining that proposals set out today are little more than buzzwords, UCU has demanded to know how many staff will be affected by the shake-up, and where.

The union says the success of the Open University has been based on using the expertise of all its staff and said their input will be vital to securing its future success.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'What we would like to hear from the OU is what these plans actually mean. Buzzwords about clouds and digital futures might work well for marketing purposes but mean little in the real world. Staff are understandably worried about plans that appear not to have been thought through, and have little confidence in the next steps of the process. How many staff will be affected and where?

'The success of the Open University has always relied on using the expertise of all staff to make and implement informed decisions. These very loose plans sound like they will involve a small team who cannot reflect the full breadth of knowledge available within the institution. To ensure the university's future, leaders need to start talking to its greatest asset - the staff - now.'

Last updated: 13 June 2017

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