Open University Students' Association

The Open University Students' Association [O U S A] organises itself by grouping the University "Catchment Areas" into branches within each of the University's 13 regions (O U S A has in fact got 16 Regions, because it has created "Regions" for the Republic of Ireland, and for Northern and for Southern Europe). The London Region has two branches, some have thirty!

Branches

London has two branches, namely London North and London South - and no, they do not comprise those of us North and those of us South of the river! Each branch has a Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and each branch is entitled to send delegates to O U S A's Annual Conference and also delegates to sit on the O U in London Committee, which meets three or four times a year at its Camden Offices, and the London Regional Forum (see below). Click on the link to go to the "Branches" page.

The London Regional Forum

The London Regional Forum [R F] is just one of the 16 that make up the Students' Association. It comprises student volunteers who are elected from the two London branches, and other members such as the member (E C M) representing us on the O U S A national Executive Committee.

The Forum meets three or four times a year and organises, for example, Openday events at the London Regional Centre, events at OU Residential Schools held in the summer at Queen Mary's University in Mile End and O U S A's Gift Shop at Degree Ceremonies as well as electing representatives to other O U and O U S A bodies.

London has around 24,000 of the O U's current 180,000 students.