History
The Open University was founded in September 1984 – Queen Beatrix conducted the official opening – when the first students enrolled. However, the university has a prior history dating back to the beginning of the seventies. The term ‘lifelong learning’ was already used by Minister Marga Klompé during the government of 67-71, as a ‘contribution to the formation of conscious and responsible people’.
Education
As a publicly funded university, the Open Universiteit has been assigned a unique role within the higher education system of the Netherlands. Openness is ingrained within its DNA; it stands for the continuous study, improvement and development of new teaching methods and techniques, along with sharing knowledge and experience.
Research
OU scientific research is developing rapidly and is firmly embedded in a network of professionals within the different areas of expertise and in close collaboration with several external partners
Open University Key Statistics & Highlights
- #1659 Ranking
Open University Overview
Open University Scholarships
Open University Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to Open University. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
Open University Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 21.7% Netherlands
Top 9.1% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
No 2025 Ranking
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2025 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| - | 701 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
1659
By U.S. News & World Report
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | 1659 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Open University Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
Netherlands Country
Heerlen City
Open University Student Reviews & Awards
4.6
Based on 26 reviews
- 5 Star 17 Reviews
- 4 Star 8 Reviews
- 3 Star 1 Review
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
Great (so far)
My course officially starts Feb 2023 but, speaking as a soon-to-be student, the whole enrolment process has been very smooth and couldn't have been easier. I've selected the modules that I'll be studying and have explored the "StudentHome" section which contains lots of interesting features for connecting with students who are enrolled on the same course. So far, so good.
Business marketing (BA) The Open University
I would definitely recommend The Open University to anyone considering university. The concept of distant learning is something that I was personally drawn to and the absolute flexibility of the courses. Usually I see University student struggling to juggle jobs and home life duties around their learning and sometimes it’s not always possible. With the Open University you can choose the amount of modules and credits that you’ll be able to complete from as little as 30 to 120 a year. My course specifically, is something I’ve enjoyed. Being able to pick my modules really interested me as I’m able to focus on subjects I’m interested in. The tutors are amazing people who are only an email away to help with any struggles. Tutor forums and live online seminars are a great way to communicate with students and teachers about your subject. The Open University is something In which I will be pleased to recommend and I can’t wait to see what the next years of studying brings.
Self-study Geology degree
Life studying at the Open University can be hard and very lonely, even with your tutor and peers to help. The self-study aspect is tough. Many things such as in-depth explanations to formual are not there or content approach can be outdated. Saying this the course is very enjoyable overall especially as it considers with paleontology that I like to undertake as a hobby.
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