The Open University says its bite-sized course on mental health is the most popular on its free learning site
The Open University has announced that its bite-sized course on mental health has been the most popular course on its free learning site.
OpenLearn offers a range of short online courses and has seen 7,000 learners enrol on its Mental health in society course in less than 11 months.
The Level 1 course takes eight hours to complete and covers mental health in the current world, while also giving a historical perspective and its evolution. It is aimed at a broad audience and aims to explore the relationship between individuals, society and the environment they live in.
Sarah Vicary, Professor of Social Work and Mental Health, who wrote the course, says: “At a time when mental health is high on the Government’s agenda it is a pleasure to see the success so far of this Open Learn course which sets out to explore different understandings of mental health and the perspectives from which it can be viewed.
“Using a mix of media, the course uses knowledge of a number of experts in the field to examine a brief overview of the history of mental health developments in England and Wales and of the various models that continue to evolve. As such the course challenges misconceptions.”
The course is one of thousands available for free on OpenLearn, which has also reported 13.3 million visits to its site in the 2024/25 academic year. The site awarded 56,000 digital badges and 421,000 statements of participation.
Professor Dave Phoenix, Vice-Chancellor of the Open University adds: “I’m pleased to celebrate another remarkable year for OpenLearn, as it continues to inspire and empower people everywhere through free and flexible learning. In the past 12 months alone, over one million new course enrolments have shown the incredible appetite for learning that OpenLearn supports.
“The growing success of our digital badging and CPD-accredited courses reflects our ongoing commitment to helping learners gain valuable skills and recognition for their achievements. As we look to the year ahead, we will bring even more learning opportunities to communities around the world and continue The Open University’s mission to make education open to all.”
