Your Student Leaders
At Open SU, we have a Student Leadership Team (SLT) who are elected every two years to represent students, and to influence all levels of decision-making within The Open University. They exist to promote your interests and to ensure the OU is more than just a place of learning – it’s a student community.
The SLT lead our strategic direction, run events and activities, and talk to The Open University on your behalf about decisions that affect students. They meet at least four times a year, with some members meeting more frequently.
Any student can stand for election to be a member of the SLT, and every OU student has the opportunity to vote for who they believe will best represent them.
Your 2026–2028 Student Leadership Team
Ways that the Student Leadership Team represent you:
University level
The Student Leadership Team take part in (and in some cases are full members of) committees and working groups, to ensure that the student voice has an input into the decisions made at the OU.
Student community
The Student Leadership Team meet with students at events, local activities and national meet-ups, to understand the student experience.
Nationally
Members of the Student Leadership Team speak to parliament and MPs about the part-time/distance learning student experience, and contribute to government-led consultations to ensure that OU students’ perspectives are part of a particular narrative or campaign.