Successful Bid: Exploring Blurred Boundaries Between Work and Learning

We’re delighted to announce that our pan-university scholarship proposal, Exploring Blurred Boundaries Between Work and Learning, has been successfully funded. Led by Abigail Salter (FBL Policing), Sarah Bloomfield (FBL Business), and Evelyn Mooney (WELS), this cross-faculty project builds on previous scholarship exploring the tripartite relationship in degree apprenticeships.
The new project will undertake a comparative analysis of Work-Based Learning (WBL) and Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) models across sectors—including policing, nursing, social work, and business—and national contexts, including the four UK nations, Canada, and Australia. It aims to deepen understanding of how learning is scaffolded across institutional and workplace boundaries, and how blurred learner–worker identities are supported.

Through desk-based research, international collaboration, and student partnership, the team will explore how different models manage stakeholder roles, support professional identity formation, and promote equitable outcomes. The project will culminate in a series of internal and external dissemination activities, including a workshop at the UVAC Conference in November 2025 and a paper presentation at ISSOTL26 in Canada.

This work aligns with key scholarship priorities including employability, equitable outcomes, and technology-enhanced learning. It promises to generate practical insights for curriculum design and learner support, while strengthening international partnerships and research capacity across the OU.