Celebrating 60 years since the ‘University of the Air’ White Paper

Author:

Martin Boyle is Principal of The Open University in Scotland.

Throughout February, across The Open University, we have been marking the 60th anniversary of the 'University of the Air' White Paper which led to our creation, writes Martin Boyle, Principal of The Open University in Scotland.

At the start of the month, I had the privilege of being part of celebrations at Westminster where I spoke about the legacy of Jennie Lee, the Minister for the Arts from Lochgelly who was the driving force behind The Open University.

Scottish Roots

Jennie Lee at the Foundation Stone event in 1973

We are immensely proud of the University’s Scottish roots and Jennie’s DNA runs through the organisation to this day. A large picture of Jennie Lee standing on the terrace at Westminster gazing over the Thames hangs in my office. Indeed, I am conscious of that gaze on a daily basis reminding me of my responsibilities and there is something uniquely special about understanding the Open University’s deep connection to Scotland.

More importantly we honour those roots and remain true to the spirit of The Open University that Jennie Lee advocated for in the face of opposition from quarters such as the Times Educational Supplement and the Spectator who both doubted the wisdom of our creation. She also faced opposition to the idea from within her own party, the Treasury, and the Department of Education and Science.

Jennie was the Minister for Arts when Prime Minister Harold Wilson asked her to turn his idea for a “university of the air” - providing higher education at a distance - into reality. She called it The Open University due to its unique open access policy, with no qualifications needed for most undergraduate courses.

In her White Paper outlining her plans, released on 25 February 1966, Jennie Lee said:

“The Government has decided to establish a University of the Air, that is to say, an open university. There can be no question of offering to students a makeshift project, inferior in quality to other universities. That would defeat its whole purpose.”

It is that significant contribution which has allowed us to firmly establish our unique and important position as Scotland’s national university for widening access and lifelong learning.

Now it seemed to me just largely to try to bring the best in higher education within reach of people who felt that they could be advantage by it.

But there it is, a great independent university which does not insult any man or woman, whatever their background, by offering them the second best.

Nothing but the best is good enough coming down here, recalls for me, as it does for many others, the mud right up to your eyebrows of those first year.

And I know that around here today there are pioneers or pioneers we have established here, you have established here by the quality of your scholarship, a university which makes no compromise whatsoever on academic standards.

Now that's its glory.

A national mission for lifelong learning

With over 238,000 people having studied with us in Scotland, we have proven the doubters wrong both in terms of being 'open' and in offering an alternative to traditional university education.

Our students are in communities in every part of the country where more than 70% are already in work and looking for new opportunities to reskill and upskill in a fast-changing world. We continue to be open to all with 20% of new undergraduates starting their studies with us without standard entrance qualifications.

Widening access has always been central to our mission, and 40% of new undergraduate students are based in Scotland’s most deprived areas. We are also a university where 30% of our students share they have a disability support need.

Honouring the legacy

The remarkable contribution of The Open University and the legacy of Jennie Lee has been recognised with a motion in the Scottish Parliament by Claire Baker MSP. We are grateful to Claire for her support and to all the parliamentarians, across the parties, who have supported our work in many ways.

It is my genuine honour to continue the legacy forged by Jennie Lee. A legacy built on a rebellious spirit, with ambition for the future and a determination not just to lead the change but to be the change. It is a legacy which will shape our new strategy to meet the challenges of the future.

Further information about the OU’s Scottish roots and Jennie Lee is available on the Our Story webpage.

25 February 2026