Policing at The Open University's Business School recognised in AACSB's 2023 Innovations That Inspire

The Open University Business School has been recognised by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) as one of its ‘Innovations That Inspire’ for the pioneering work by academics in its Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) and the Department for Policing Organisation and Practices (POP). 

The honour is awarded to the top 25 AACSB institutions which  are creating impactful, relevant, visionary value for tomorrow’s business world. AACSB is the world’s largest business education alliance (more than 9,000 business schools across the globe are affiliated.  AACSB is  one of the accreditors that give The Open University Business School its elite triple accreditation status.

Jean Hartley, Professor of Public Leadership and Academic Director of the Centre for Policing Research and Learning said:

Policing in the UK is currently facing exceptionally tough challenges and at the OU we are pleased to be able to contribute to finding ways to help policing improve through evidence-informed research and teaching, and through getting knowledge into practice.  We do this by drawing on knowledge not only about policing but also other public services and other sectors from across the Business School. I am very proud of the team we have in the OU.

CPRL was set up in 2014 as a partnership between Open University academics and police forces in the UK to improve policing for the public good. It is currently working with 24 police agency partners which accounts for two-thirds of the of the UK policing workforce.  The collaboration between both the academics and police practitioners enables their work to have greater impact on a wide range of challenges through high-quality knowledge-sharing and evidence-based practice. Notable successes include launching a highly effective and innovative policing degree programme with North Yorkshire Police which contributed to the force exceeding their Home Office recruitment target, and as part of Operation Soteria Bluestone, the team delivered ground-breaking research on the learning and well-being of rape investigators which is being used to shape police policy and national investigative officer training. Other projects include digital policing, demand management in policing, leadership, public innovation and police family wellbeing.

Jennifer Norman, Head of Policing Organisation and Practice said:

Thank you to the AACSB for this recognition. We are extremely proud to receive this award highlighting policing excellence. We continue to work very hard to develop police education to the highest standard and quality. We ensure that research and knowledge on contemporary policing issues is fully embedded into our curriculum and importantly, we work in close collaboration with our police partners to make sure the learning supports practitioners in the best way.

The POP department offers a flexible blended learning curriculum that has been developed by a team of academics with diverse expertise in contemporary policing. The portfolio includes both formal qualifications such as the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, the Degree Holder Entry Programme, and an apprenticeship for Police Community Support Officers as well as free Open Education Resources (OER’s) that are available anytime to enable police officers and staff to continue with their professional development.