Towards a Strategy for Improved Student Retention in Programmes of Open, Distance Education: A Case Study From the Open University UK

Abstract

Teaching at a distance has enjoyed a long history and is now established as a reputable method of education as evidenced by the establishment of numerous distance learning systems worldwide. One such system is the Open University UK, Britain’s largest teaching institution, with 125,000 undergraduate students enrolled in the year 2000. Since first opening its doors in 1971, more than two million students have participated in studies at the Open University UK. The Open University UK has a unique mission statement – open as to people, open as to places, open as to methods, and open to ideas – an “open access” policy that attracts students from a variety of backgrounds, all seeking a divergent range of study goals. With this mission mind, it is vital that the Open University UK secure the best possible chances for its students’ success.