Definition

Noun: 1. A British university that is open to people without formal academic qualifications and where teaching is by correspondence or broadcasting or summer school: An institution of higher education that operates with an open admissions policy, allowing adult students to enroll regardless of their previous academic background. Instruction is primarily delivered through distance learning methods such as printed materials, online resources, television/radio broadcasts, and supplemented by optional local tutorials or short residential summer schools.

Usage

• The term "Open University" is a proper noun and is often capitalized, especially when referring to the specific UK institution. It functions as a singular noun.
• It is used to describe both the specific UK university founded in 1969 and, by extension, similar institutions worldwide that follow an open-access, distance-learning model.

Examples

• Noun:
  • She earned her degree in psychology from the Open University while working full-time.
  • The Open University has made higher education accessible to millions of people.
  • Many mature students choose the Open University for its flexible study options.

Advanced Usage

• The concept is sometimes used generically (in lowercase, "open university") to refer to any university with an open admissions policy focused on distance learning, though the capitalized form typically refers to the UK institution.
• It is often associated with lifelong learning and part-time study.

Variants and Related Words

• Distance learning (n): A method of studying where students do not need to attend a campus, using materials sent by post or the internet.
• Correspondence course (n): A course of study in which student and teachers communicate by mail.
• Online university (n): A university that delivers its courses primarily via the internet.

Synonyms

• Distance learning university
• University of the Air (an older, less common synonym)

Related Phrases/Concepts

• Open admissions: A policy of admitting students without requiring specific qualifications.
• Summer school: A short residential course held during the summer, which some open university programs may include as an optional component.
• Part-time degree: A degree program designed to be completed while the student is employed, a common feature of open universities.

Noun

1. a British university that is open to people without formal academic qualifications and where teaching is by correspondence or broadcasting or summer school