Image credits: The Lightscaper, Aaron Fedor
Our 2024 Conference was held on Saturday 15 June, and we were excited to welcome over 1,000 OU students to this incredible online event!
We enjoyed a packed programme of inspiring speakers (inclduing our star speakers, Susan Cain and Chris Packham), plus a host of student-focused activities, sessions and workshops.
You can catch-up with the Conference programme below. We hope you will enjoy watching these inspiring sessions.
Star speaker:
Quiet Leadership: A fireside chat with Susan Cain
Susan Cain is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking and Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, which was also an Oprah Book Club selection. She has spent the last 20 years exploring a particular realm of human nature – the quiet, the sensitive, the thoughtful, the bittersweet – and spoke at the OU Students Conference about 'Quiet Leadership'.
You can watch a five-minute compilation of clips of Susan's talk below.
Star speaker:
Chris Packham: Love and Rage – how to change your mind to make a difference
Chris Packham is a broadcaster, and an environmental and animal welfare activist. His recent credits include ‘Earth’ and ‘Inside Our Autistic Minds’ for the BBC, and ‘Is it Time to Break the Law’ for Channel 4. He is an ambassador for numerous wildlife and environmental NGOs, and organises his own independent campaigns and actions. We were so excited to welcome Chris to our Conference to speak to OU students.
You can watch a five-minute compilation of clips of Chris' talk below.
Students Association Business
This session kicked off our Conference. During this session, Margaret Greenaway (President of the Students Association) spoke about the achievements of the Association from 2022–2024. She also presented the results of the voting on the Conference resolutions.
During this session we tried to answer as many questions from students as we could. Although we ran out of time to answer all of them, we know how important it is to have your voice heard and your questions answered. So below you will find answers to the questions that did not get answered on the day.
Conference 2024 – unanswered Business questions on the day (with answers now)
How to Forge Ahead with Nick Elston – A lived experience mental health playbook
In this engaging session, Nick Elston delved into his personal journey with mental health, from overcoming significant challenges to harnessing these experiences as a force for good. This interactive session explored practical tips and insights on not just surviving but thriving, drawing from real-life examples and easy-to-implement strategies. Nick's stories and insights combined heartfelt storytelling with humour, aimed at demystifying mental health and showcasing the power of resilience.
An introduction to the OU Students Educational Trust (OUSET)
This session talked about the history of OUSET, how the Trust has been set up, and how OUSET supports students (as well as the incredible fundraising events for OUSET which are coming up). Attendees also heard firsthand from one of our students about how OUSET has positively impacted their study journey.
Genuine Mwasha: The Cycle Breakers – Education for Change: Building a poverty-free future for sub-saharan Africa and humanity
We were thrilled to welcome Open University alumnus, Genuine Mwasha, who spoke to us about the charity he has set up; The Roof of Africa.
The Roof of Africa charity (registration number: SC047518) provides education and community support to the poorest children in Tanzania, East Africa. It is currently completing its first primary school, and has exciting plans for the future.
Managing your mental wellbeing at university
Mental Health Adviser, Becky Talbott discussed what mental health is, the risks and benefits of studying to our mental health, and ways to increase awareness of our own wellbeing (plus more) in this fascinating talk.
Beginning, middle, end: Tracy Buchanan on writing books
OU PhD student Antonia Saunders interviewed author Tracy Buchanan, exploring Tracy's journey to becoming a published writer, her creative process, and the challenges of writing for a living.
No student left behind: An introduction to SiSE (students in secure environments)
Did you know that students living in secure environments can, and do, study at the OU?
The Students Association's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team ran this Conference session on what they do to support these students.
OU student footprints – what can you do about climate change?
The Students Association Environment and Sustainability Group discussed examples of carbon footprints, and gave advice on being more environmentally-friendly in our day-to-day activities.
Student Leadership Team members, Lou and Nichola, also ran a mini version of the very popular How Bad Are Bananas? carbon footprint game!
After watching this session, you'll come away with some practical and realistic tips that you can implement straight away to reduce your carbon footprint.
Accessible desk yoga with Sarah Vallance
We were excited to welcome Sarah Vallance, a qualified yoga instructor, to run a tranquil and serene session of stretching – specifically designed for busy students on a TMA break!
Generative AI: what's in it for me
The OU's AI team explained what generative AI is, and the main benefits and pitfalls of using it (amongst other things).
This session is unavailable (it was only open for the students who attended on the day).
Additional sessions
Our International Representative, Isabelle, ran a lunchtime quiz, where students got the chance to meet and interact with other OU students. The winner received an exclusive set of Conference-branded stationery!
We also provided an online 'Chat and Chill' cafe for students to drop into throughout the day, where they could have a break from the scheduled sessions and chat with other OU students.