A specialist in supported distance learning since its founding by Royal Charter in 1969, the OU offers -- in partnership with the Carl Duisberg Centren in Germany -- approximately 600 undergraduate and postgraduate courses in arts and humanities, business and management, modern languages, social sciences, health and social welfare, science, mathematics, technology and IT, education and law. The OU operates on a large scale: around 210,000 students enroll each year. Some plan to take just a single course; others aim for a full program of study to attain a degree. Teaching materials consist of a blend of traditional printed texts, audio and visual media, and articles and images on subject-specific websites. Support on academic matters comes from a tutor who gives feedback on assignments, and a network of regional representatives provides a local link to the University. A bachelor's degree can be completed in three years, but most students combine a full-time job with part-time study and require six years. The MBA program, offered by the Open University Business School, can be completed in two and a half years of part-time study. The Open University Business School is one of the few schools to have triple accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

c/o Carl-Duisberg-Centren
Hansaring 49-51; Cologne
Tel: 0221-162 623 5;
Email: Germany-Central@open.ac.uk
www.open.ac.uk/germany