Associate Lecturers (ALs) as partners

​​​​​​​​​​​We welcome and encourage ALs to engage in scholarship activity​​​​​​​​​​​​. 

Workplaces have always been sites of learning, and every workplace creates its own unique version of a learning environment. In these environments, learning takes place in a range of different ways along a continuum that stretches from formalised activity at one end through to a group of employees discovering the answer to a problem by informal d iscussion round the water cooler.

Unwin, Felstead, & Fuller, 2007

In WELS we recognise that many Associate Lecturers (ALs) have multiple affiliations and are often active researchers. We are committed to drawing on the expertise wherever we can to enhance the research and scholarship activity undertaken by the Open University. 

• Associate Lecturers are not contractually required to engage in research or scholarship as part of their employment for the Open University. ​
• We welcome Associate Lecturers consultants on projects, where they can be employed separately from their tuition contract. They can be paid from project funds to undertake duties on these projects, as decided by the principal investigator of the project in question.​
• Associate Lecturers may make applications to the AL Development Fund for events relevant to the modules they tutor. Some ALs have received contributions to the cost of conference attendance through this fund, up to £200 once a year. Details can be found here​. WELS does not generally fund Associate Lecturers to attend conferences, or engage in any research activities, out of its research budget.
• Associate Lecturers with a strong research record are invited to get involved in research activities within a WELS research group (for more information on the research areas and groupings in the Faculty, please see the WELS Research website​). They would need to discuss this with the research group lead. If they are an active member of the group over an extended period they can apply to become a Honorary Associate of the Open University. More information about how to apply for visiting academic status can be found here.
• In some circumstances an Associate Lecturer member of a WELS research group may apply for project or conference funding with other members of the group. We encourage this application when the Associate Lecturer a) is an active member of the research group b) has the status of a visiting academic (as Honorary Associate of the school in question) and c) their application for funding is supported by the research group convenor.

Associate Lecturers may cite the OU as institutional affiliation in specific circumstances:

• If an Associate Lecturer is a visiting academic, they may use the OU institutional affiliation when publishing or when presenting at conferences.
• If an Associate Lecturer who has a formal contract with The Open University to undertake a particular research project can cite an affiliation with The Open University for any publication or presentation arising from the specific research project for which they are contracted.
• More information about eligibility to publish via the OU can be found here.