In this session The Open University (OU) in Scotland will share insights from our strategic communications initiative aimed at increasing student retention in a complex, open access, online university. With retention challenges linked to the nature of no-entry requirements online education, our approach emphasises the importance of communicating with strategic purpose. Operating within multifaceted organisational structure, made particularly complex due to the 4-Nations nature of the OU, the challenge was to identify a specific niche where the OU in Scotland could add meaningful value for students. This involves being crystal clear on our objectives and role in the wider context of all communications students receive from across the institution, for creating a supportive, relatable and engaged community without overwhelming them with excessive information. We will explore how tailored, student-centric messaging and streamlined support signposting empower students to access help and connect when they need it most. Essentially this is about creating meaningful engagement while respecting students’ communication capacity.