How do you see the role of the Open University evolving within the Growth Corridor over the next 5–10 years?

The OU operates at a different scale to most institutions in the Corridor, with a reach that is unique. As the UK’s only four-nation university, it is not geographically constrained in the same way as conventional institutions, which positions us well to connect regional activity to national capability.

Over the next decade, that role will become more important. Delivery across the Corridor will depend on stronger coordination between regions, sectors and skills systems. The OU can support that by linking workforce development, research-informed practice and industry partnerships across institutional and geographic boundaries.

The opportunity is to help connect clusters into a more coherent economic system, rather than simply participating within them.

What makes the OU’s model particularly relevant to delivering inclusive growth at a regional and national level?

The OU model combines scale, flexibility and access. Its relevance to inclusive growth depends on how those capabilities are applied to economic outcomes.

As one of the world’s most advanced digitally enabled universities, our infrastructure supports highly flexible, individualised learning at scale, allowing us to reach learners and employers who are typically underserved by traditional provision. The strategic value lies in connecting that capability to enterprise and innovation, as well as skills development.

There is a credible role for the OU in supporting open incubation models, where ideas can be developed with partners before formal launch, alongside flexible work-based learning. This creates pathways from learning into business creation as well as employment.

Applied consistently, this approach supports a more distributed entrepreneurial ecosystem, combining digital access with targeted physical infrastructure.

How can universities better work together – and with industry – to address skills gaps at scale?

There are already strong examples of collaboration in practice, but they remain fragmented and insufficiently aligned to deliver at scale.

A more effective approach would focus on co-investment in shared infrastructure and capability, particularly in high-cost technology areas where barriers to entry are significant for start-ups and scale-ups. This includes cross-institutional facilities, joint delivery platforms and provision co-designed with industry.

This will require a more deliberate partnership model between universities, industry and government, with a clearer focus on system-level outcomes rather than institutional optimisation.

What are the biggest barriers to delivering on the Corridor’s ambitions, and where should focus be placed next?

The core barriers are well understood: limited clarity on priorities, fragmented governance, and underdeveloped infrastructure.

There is still insufficient agreement on priority sectors and intended outcomes, which weakens focus and disperses investment. Governance arrangements remain complex, with multiple institutions and regions operating with different incentives and limited shared accountability.

Infrastructure is a further constraint, both physical and digital, particularly where collaboration depends on access to shared systems and facilities.

The next phase should concentrate on narrowing priorities, strengthening governance frameworks, and making targeted investments that enable collaboration and inward investment within a constrained fiscal environment.

Are there specific initiatives that best demonstrate this in practice?

There are well-established examples around Oxford and Cambridge where innovation ecosystems, scale-up support and investment are aligned effectively.

Across the wider Corridor, however, these strengths are not yet sufficiently connected, and the overall system is not yet well integrated. The central spine remains less developed, and access to infrastructure is uneven. 

Recent progress is beginning to address this. The Open University is leading a partnership backed by up to £20 million from the UK Government’s Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, focused on accelerating innovation and commercial readiness across Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

The programme builds on regional strengths in autonomous systems, high-performance engineering, and space and defence technologies, while improving connectivity between testbeds and partners.

This is a real opportunity to take a more active role in shaping how skills, innovation and access are delivered across the Corridor – particularly through scalable provision, open innovation with partners, and broader access to shared infrastructure.

What does success look like – both for the OU and for the region more broadly?

For the region, success is reflected in sustained economic growth, improved productivity and a broader distribution of opportunity beyond established centres.

For the OU, it means being integral to that system as a core partner in skills delivery, innovation support and widening access at scale, with clear institutional and regional impact.

This depends on clearer priorities, stronger partnerships and governance arrangements capable of sustaining delivery over time.

In conclusion – From ambition to delivery

What comes through clearly is that the challenge is no longer defining ambition, but delivering it in a more coordinated and connected way.

Across the Corridor, activity is building momentum – from the AUG-led Skills and Talent workplan and themed roundtables, to new programmes focused on innovation translation, infrastructure and workforce development. At the same time, insights from across technology, green and creative sectors highlight the need for a more agile, inclusive and responsive skills system – one that supports lifelong learning and keeps pace with industry demand. 

The role of institutions like the Open University is clear: to act as a connector – linking capability across geographies, widening access to opportunity, and helping to build a more distributed innovation ecosystem.

For the Corridor as a whole, success will depend on moving from pockets of excellence to a genuinely integrated system – one capable of sustaining long-term growth, improving productivity, and ensuring that opportunity is shared more widely.

To find out more about the work of the Open University, visit: https://www.open.ac.uk/