In 2019 The Open University marked its 50th Anniversary with a fully integrated, year-long event programme to engage our multiple audiences and to celebrate our social mission of "opening up education for all." With a proud legacy of being open to people, places, and ideas, the OU50 Anniversary campaign needed to be open by design, involving staff, students, alumni, and partners who have been part of the story so far—regardless of location. The year- long event programme needed to feel open and accessible, so everyone felt involved. We created OU50 Flagship events and a series of UK & Ireland OpenTALKS to unite, involve and to inspire feelings of pride. Over 100 events took place across the year, from Edinburgh to Uganda.
From the Judges
An excellent submission showcasing how a lack of a physical campus need not hinder fundraising, alumni engagement, and commemoration celebrations. The impact of all the events were maximised in a very clever way, utilising technology and social media, e.g. the OpenTALKS, "thunderclaps" and inaugural lecture series. There was excellent evidence of how objectives were met and measured, and the increase in engagement, particularly internally, is worth noting. The budget, whilst high, is not out of line with other institutions, and the execution of the commemoration campaign appears to be faultless.
