The Open University

Supporting Distance Learners with Personalised Well-being Resources


The Challenge

The Open University (OU), Europe’s largest institution for distance learning, faced a unique challenge. With students spread across multiple locations and often studying in isolation, the university needed a digital solution to support their well-being and foster a sense of community. The OU needed a platform that could help students manage stress, combat feelings of isolation, and offer well-being support that was accessible anytime, anywhere.

The Solution

In response, we developed the OU Wellbeing app—a digital platform that integrates with the university’s existing support systems and is designed specifically to meet the needs of distance learners. The app provides a wide range of personalised well-being tools, including mental health resources, mindfulness exercises, and self-care techniques, all available on-demand. It enables students to access the support they need regardless of their location or study schedule, ensuring their well-being is prioritised alongside their academic goals.

Key Features:

Generative AI-Powered Wellbeing Assistant: The app’s AI assistant offers students meaningful, personalised conversations to support their mental health and well-being, helping with issues such as anxiety, loneliness, and stress management.

Tailored Content for Distance Learners: The app includes specific resources aimed at tackling the unique challenges faced by OU students.

Self-Care and Habit-Building Tools: Students can create personalised well-being plans, set up reminders for self-care routines, and access Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) podcasts to develop healthier habits.


Working in Partnership

Since launching the OU Wellbeing app, our partnership with The Open University has focused on ensuring the platform truly meets the needs of their remote learners. We worked closely with OU’s Well-being and Student Support teams to adapt the app’s features to the unique student demographic. This involved customising the content to address the challenges specific to distance learning. Our partnership has been proactive, with regular meetings to review student engagement data and feedback.

Impact

The OU Wellbeing app has become a crucial part of The Open University’s support system. The app currently has over 20,000 registered students, demonstrating its wide adoption across OU’s diverse student body. The feedback from students highlights the importance of the app in helping them manage their mental health. The AI assistant has played a vital role in offering students immediate support, with students reporting that they appreciate the personalised nature of the conversations and the ability to receive instant guidance when needed.

Next Steps

Our collaboration with The Open University continues to evolve. Moving forward, we are focusing on enhancing the AI assistant’s ability to provide even more personalised support based on student feedback and usage trends. We are also working to integrate new features that will offer additional self-care tools and community-building resources, helping OU students feel even more connected and supported throughout their educational journey.

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