The Open University Business School

Celebrating 40 years

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Celebrating 40 years of The Open University Business School

Milestones of the past 40 years

Timeline thumbnail displaying 40 years of excellence from The Open University Business School.

Founded in 1983, The Open University Business School attracted 1,600 students in its first year and by 1989 it had become the largest business school in Europe.

Check out this timeline to learn more about our journey over the last four decades.

View the timeline

The year 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of The Open University Business School (OUBS) and we want to celebrate with you!

Keep an eye out for fascinating student and staff stories dating back over the past 40 years.

Over the course of this milestone year in 2023, we hope you will join us as we marvel at the unstoppable nature of our flourishing alumni, recognise the research that is contributing to a better future, and observe how truly impactful our work is.

Infographic displaying key stats from the Open University Business School, including: 86% of MBA alumni say they're achieved positive things in their career thanks to their studies. 108,000 alumni. 28,000 MBA alumni. Over 6,000 enrolled learners on OUBS and MoneySavingExpert's Academy of Money course. 92% of OUBS alumni report a positive experience with the OU. OUBS is part of 1% of business schools worldwide that are triple accredited. In the bottom right-hand corner is the Twitter hashtag #OUBS_40.

Class of 1983: OU study 40 years ago

We asked graduates who embarked on our very first module in 1983, The Effective Manager, to share their memories from 40 years ago.

The key issues for businesses in 2063

What will be the key issues for businesses in 40 years time (2063)? Read responses from our students and alumni and share your thoughts.

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Hear from some of our amazing alumni

Tillmann Henssler

I would recommend the OU to anyone all over the world because you can fit it around your life. You can do the course online whenever you have time and it has a fantastic reputation.

Tillmann Henssler
MBA graduate Read Tillmann's story
Celia Morris

I would never have got where I am without the great opportunities that became available to me as a result of my Open University Business School studies and the encouragement of some great tutors.

Celia Morris
MBA graduate Read Celia's story

How you can get involved

We'd love to hear about your journey with The Open University Business School: