The Open University Business School wins at the Guardian University Awards

The Open University Business School (OUBS) has won the Business Partnership category for its collaboration with financial services company True Potential LLP at the Guardian University Awards 2017.

Judges praised the OUBS team for its innovative approach and inspiring use of partnerships to deliver social impact. The partnership has created a centre of excellence, the True Potential Centre for the Public Understanding of Finance (True Potential PUFin), which undertakes rigorous research to inform practice and policy, and delivers free online courses to teach people everything from the basics of finance to the way the financial industry operates.

Courses are freely accessible on OpenLearn and FutureLearn. Research shows they are making a real difference to the financial understanding of families around the country.

We are really delighted. We have to acknowledge this success would not have been possible without the support of True Potential LLP. Their support has meant we can bring financial education to the UK and beyond, to the benefit of huge numbers of people.

Martin Upton
Director of True Potential PUFin

Jacqui Thomasen, Head of External Engagement; Martin Upton, Director of PUFin; BBC's Lauren Laverne; Lucian Hudson, Director of Communications, and Lotfi Boulkeroua, Head of Department for Accounting and Finance

Martin picked up the award from BBC radio presenter Lauren Laverne along with colleagues Jacqui Thomasen, Head of External Engagement and Lotfi Boulkeroua, Head of Department for Account and Finance, at OUBS.

The Open University’s TESS India team, who run a large scale educational initiative, swept the board in the International Projects category. The judges said TESS India was an exceptional project with unparalleled reach, delivered at scale.

The project, which began in 2012, is generating a paradigm shift in rural Indian schools to introduce more child-centred education. It has created educational resources in seven languages designed with and for teachers, through different delivery mechanisms ranging from mobile phones to printed material.

"It is fantastic that we have won two such prestigious awards for business partnerships and international projects against some really tough competition. Congratulations to both the winning teams, it's a great achievement.

Peter Horrocks
Vice Chancellor of The Open University

The Open University team behind the OpenStudio project, which allows students share images, information and other content, were finalists in the Digital Innovation category.

Links

• Centre for Public Understanding of Finance (PUFin)
• Managing My Money on OpenLearn
• Managing My Money on FutureLearn - Please note that this course is now archived and unavailable
• TESS India (Teacher Education through School-based Support)
• True Potential website