The Student Trustee supports the effective governance, sustainability, and strategic direction of Open SU as a registered charity.
Student Trustees work collectively with the wider Board to ensure the organisation fulfils its charitable objectives, complies with legal and regulatory requirements, and delivers meaningful impact for students.
Student Trustees bring current or recent lived experience of being an Open University student, ensuring that Board decision-making remains grounded in the realities of the student community. They also provide appropriate support and constructive challenge to the Student Leadership Team and staff to strengthen accountability, transparency, and long-term planning.
Average number of hours: Averaging 5–10 hours a month, though this fluctuates throughout the year.
Meeting expectations: Trustee and committee meetings take place during the week, usually Tuesday or Wednesday. Meetings occur four times a year.
Attendance at face-to-face meetings: All Trustee meetings are hybrid, with an option to attend in-person or online.
Location: You must be based within the UK or continental Europe to apply for this role.
DBS required? Yes
Term length: 1 year from 1 August 2026 – 31 July 2027.
What is the Board of Trustees?
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of Open SU. Trustees work together to ensure the charity operates within its governing document and the law, set long-term strategic direction, oversee financial sustainability and risk, and safeguard the interests of our members; Open University students.
Trustees are not responsible for day-to-day operations or student voice, which are delegated to staff and elected student leaders. Instead, they provide strategic oversight, assurance, and accountability.
How Board of Trustees work together
Trustees share collective responsibility for Board decisions. The Board meets quarterly (four times per year), reviews strategy, finance, risk, safeguarding, and organisational performance, receives assurance from the Student Leadership Team and staff, and works through committees such as Finance, Resource and Risk; Safeguarding; and Appointments or Governance.
Student Trustees are welcomed to join a committee where they have interest, skills or capacity, though this is optional and will require additional time commitment.
Shared responsibilities of all elected Student Trustees
As a Student Trustee of Open SU, you help protect the charity’s future while ensuring students remain central to decision-making.
You’ve been elected by students to make a difference, and here’s what that involves:
- Working as a team to support Open SU’s mission, vision, and charitable objectives.
- Living our values: Welcoming, Approachable, Bold, Adaptable and Sustainable.
- Acting in the best interests of the Charity and its beneficiaries.
- Providing support and constructive challenge to staff, Student Leaders and fellow trustees.
- Communicating effectively with fellow board members and staff, using official spaces and email regularly.
- Championing equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything you do.
- Acting openly and responsibly, and being prepared to be accountable for your actions.
- Respecting confidentiality and collective decision-making.
- All elected representatives are expected to adhere to our Values and Behaviour Policy, Volunteer Policy and sign a Volunteer Agreement on commencement of the role.
Role specific responsibilities
- Brings the student perspective into Board discussions.
- Contributes to strategy, sustainability, and long-term planning.
- Supports financial oversight, safeguarding, and risk management.
- Reviews organisational performance.
- Promotes strong governance and ethical leadership.
- Acts as an ambassador for Open SU.
- May participate in Board committees or working groups where able.
Key skills and attributes
You will need to possess, or be prepared to develop rapidly, the following:
- High integrity, with a strong commitment to fairness and ethical decision-making.
- Willingness to devote the time and effort to successfully perform this role, including developing an understanding of the issues at hand and undertaking relevant training.
- Confident and assertive, willing to make decisions that are in the best interests of the organisation.
- Commitment to the Nolan principles.
- Willingness to learn and develop in the role.
Training and support will be offered to any successful candidate.
Example of meetings attended by Student Trustees
Quarterly Board of Trustees meetings (four per year), optional committee meetings, strategy or development sessions, and key conferences or stakeholder events.
Trustees are expected to prepare for meetings by reading papers in advance and contributing constructively. Reasonable expenses for in-person attendance will be reimbursed in line with policy.
Essential role-specific information, including eligibility
To apply, you must meet the following:
Active student status
You must be a registered and active Open University student. This means you are either:
- Currently studying a module, or
- Have previously completed a module within the last two years and are registered on an OU qualification.
Eligible modules
- You must be studying Open University modules worth at least 30 credits.
- Students registered as Postgraduate Researchers or on Access modules are also eligible.
Academic progress
To support your academic success, we will not consider applications from students who have failed or not completed their three most recently started modules at the time of application. This ensures you can focus on your studies while contributing effectively to the role.
Ability to act as the public face of Open SU
All candidates are expected to meet the same eligibility standards required of charity trustees, including not being disqualified from acting as a trustee or director. You can read read the official UK Government guidance on the automatic disqualification rules for charity trustees.
What you can expect from Open SU
- A supportive onboarding and training process.
- Guidance and support from a dedicated staff team.
- Appreciation and recognition for the work you do.
- A non-discriminatory environment that celebrates diversity.
- Reimbursement for reasonable expenses in accordance with our Expense Claims Policy.
- The freedom to pause, take a break or step down from your role at any time.
Trustee meeting dates for your diary
- Wednesday, 22 July 2026 (newly elected trustees will be invited to shadow the last meeting of the term)
- Wednesday, 7 October 2026
- Wednesday, 27 January 2027 (online only)
- Wednesday, 24 March 2027
- Wednesday, 16 June 2027
- Wednesday, 6 October 2027
- Wednesday, 26 January 2028
- Wednesday, 29 March 2028
- Wednesday, 14 June 2028
(all hybrid: 9:30am–12:30pm)