Working with Praxis: help us shape the Future of Education 

Praxis, the Centre for Scholarship and Innovation in WELS, is committed to working with Associate Lecturers, students, central academics, and others who are interested in improving learning and teaching at the Open University. We welcome scholarship proposals that align with our mission to drive high-quality education and lasting impact.   

If you have an idea for how you might improve your practice as an Associate Lecturer in line with the principles of the OU Teaching and Learning Plan, we’d like to hear from you.    

We will work with you to develop your ideas, craft a compelling proposal and undertake your project. We offer funding and full support to ensure the success of your scholarship from idea to impact.  

Our focus is on enabling student success - by increasing recruitment, improving retention, and supporting progression and achievement. By embedding employability in our curriculum, we help students advance their careers and enhance their impact in the workplace.   

We prioritise academic excellence by developing cutting-edge curricula, engaging teaching, and technology-enhanced learning that enrich the student experience. We also aim to diversify our impact by creating new commercial ventures, expanding internationally, and forging income-generating partnerships.  

Collaboration is key to our success. We seek like-minded others to join us in transforming all aspects of distance and online education through joint research, informed scholarship, shared conferences, and innovative learning projects.  

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning has had a huge impact on the Open University, enhancing student achievement and progression. ALs are an important aspect of that success. As the UK's largest and only four nations Higher Education Institutions, we are well placed to have an equally as decisive impact on the sector.