Bursary

Periodically the AOUG Foundation for Education offers a Bursary to an Open University research student. Unlike the annual Research Awards which always require a student to be nominated, the Bursary offers the chance for an OU research student to apply for themselves. Each time a bursary is offered, the Trustees of the charity present a set of criteria that candidates must fulfil, or agree to fulfil, before applying. Candidates then follow a selection and interview process before the Trustees final selection is made. The successful candidate will be required to submit an academic article on their work for the AOUG`s publication OMEGA and later, to present a lecture on their research. 

These last twelve months have seen the deaths of so many of our founder or long standing members that we have decided, as a mark of remembrance, to award a special Bursary this year, the AOUG 2016 Ted Castle Bursary. Ted Castle was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors said that he would never walk, never work and never do anything. However Ted achieved so much in his life including the British Empire Medal, Licentiate and Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts and his OU Degree, of which he was especially proud. He said that the OU gave him ‘self-belief, self-assurance and a place in society’ and he used his knowledge and expertise to improve the lives of others in a similar position. Sadly, Ted died in January 2016.

Nominations can be accepted from other OU students, OU graduates or any OU staff, plus there is the additional option of self-nomination. However it should be stressed that all candidates whether self-nominated, or nominated by another person, must have the endorsement and recommendation of one, or more, of the research student’s supervisors.

The criteria for nominations are as follows: 

The nominee must already hold an OU degree at ordinary, honours or masters level.
The nominee must be currently engaged in research work partly, or fully, supervised by The Open University which is to lead to an additional Open University higher level degree.
The nominee must be in the final year towards completing this qualification.
The nominee must be able to complete this qualification without the Bursary’s support.
The nominee must be supported by a recommendation from one of their supervisors.
The nominee may have already have been nominated for other AOUG Awards.
The nominee must be available for interview during the week 5th September 2016.
The nominee must be available to receive the Award on Friday 7th October 2016 on campus.
The nominee must produce an academic article, written in layman’s terms, for AOUG’s magazine OMEGA, within six months of being presented with this Award.
The nominee must present a lecture on the OU campus on Friday 6th October 2017.

All applications must be received at AOUG Office, Walton Hall. Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA by Tuesday 21st June 2016.

AOUG 2016 Ted Castle Bursary application form

Previous Bursaries have been awarded to:
2013 Natalia Kucirkova
2009 Stephen Arnold
2006 Helen Craggs
2000 Zena Barker