Webinars, talks and podcasts

This webinar, hosted by US2U Consulting founder Rachel Blackburn MBE with expert contributors from The Open University and third sector, offers a practical framework for making the business case for leadership education, including MBAs.

On the 23rd September 2025 as part of the MK Tech Week, The Open University (OU) hosted the The Future of Adult and Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI which brought together educators, policymakers and technologists. It built on the success of the 2024 MK AI Festival - itself a legacy of the landmark Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit - this event continued the conversation around AI’s transformative impact on society, with a specific focus on education, opportunity, and ethical innovation.

Josh Robertson, Founder of Engineer a Career, led an insightful discussion on this webinar delivered by The Open University. The conversation was driven by findings from the Business Barometer 2025, which reveals that 58% of engineering and construction employers face a skills shortage – a challenge that demands urgent action.

The drive for growth has been central to the political and economic narrative of the last 12 months. In a recent Open University survey, more than 96% of UK business leaders agree that growth is important to their business strategy.

Do innovative employees with new ideas always have to leave and start their own company? Or could they be given the license to transform your business instead? These questions are discussed in the Intrapreneurship Series – a series of four webinars from The Open University (OU), hosted by innovation advisor and engineer, Josh Valman.

Many employers are using apprenticeships to plug skills gaps, recruit and retain employees and build strong internal talent pipelines. And they are achieving the results they want, but it does require commitment and effort, on the part of the employer, the line manager, the apprentice and the learning provider.

The Open University (OU) hosted the GenAI: Adult Learning and Skill Conference which brought together educators, policymakers and technologists, to explore how Generative AI can be used to enhance educational opportunities, experiences and outcomes for adults, and address skills shortages in key areas.

The UK has a productivity problem and it’s not going away. When The Open University (OU) surveyed more than 500 business leaders for its new report, Powering up productivity, one in four of them said productivity had dropped in their organisation over the past five years.

The Open University hosted a full day of keynote speakers and panel discussions, hosted by presenter and journalist, Ben Hunte, to understand how employers can attract, develop and grow young talent. 

The most recent annual report published by The Open University in partnership with the British Chambers of Commerce has revealed that persistent skill shortages are causing problems for organisations in various ways.