Open Justice Centre Co-Directors shared Open Justice Centre successes at OpenMINDS Live alumni event

Francine Ryan and Hugh McFaul, Co-Directors of the Open Justice Centre, shared the impressive work of the Open Justice Centre with alumni at an OpenMINDS Live event on Wednesday 26 May.

The legal duo revealed how the Open Justice centre seeks to improve access to justice through the provision of free legal advice, guidance and education, illustrating some of the top highlights of the Centre’s five-year journey.

The OpenMINDS Live event, which took place online, brought together a series of OU speakers, students and academics. They shared some of the most fascinating projects, heartfelt stories and exciting research from around the University.

Francine and Hugh covered a range of projects, including how the Centre has used technology to reimagine legal education, as well as its public engagement work with legal charities and the United Nations.

The Open Justice Centre team was joined by:

• Dr Clare Taylor talking about the role of academics in the OU/BBC co-production, Secrets of the Museum – a programme which gives attendees a peek into what’s behind the scenes at the Victoria and Albert Museum
• Dr Hannah Sargeant, who talked about some of the resources available on the Moon, as we prepare for a base on the Moon and for crewed missions to Mars
• Nerys Bolton and Jacky Price, who shared how nursing students gain the practical skills they need to qualify, while distance learning. They also discussed how we work in partnership with employers and how the OU’s postgraduate offering enables nurses to take their careers further
• Tim Plyming, who covered the latest online learning – ‘microcredentials’. He shared what they are, the subjects on offer and how they can benefit learners, as well as how OU alumni can get involved.

We are honoured to have been invited to speak at this event, as it was wonderful to be able to share the good work of the Open Justice Centre with this alumni audience. It was popular event at which OU staff, students and academics could talk about some of the University’s brilliant achievements.

Francine Ryan

We are extremely proud of the work that’s done within the Open Justice Centre and of the success of our students. It is excellent that we were invited to use the OpenMINDS Live platform to highlight this.

Hugh McFaul