Letter: Honours for OU

The Open University (OU) in Scotland was rated first in the National Student Survey for the sixth year in a row. This year it shared the top spot with St Andrews University.

Given that 16,000 students, representing every community in Scotland from Stranraer to Shetland, study with the OU, it is an oversight in your reporting to disregard the feedback of their experience ("Students give top marks for teaching to Scotland's universities", 17 August).

Open University students come from a diverse range of backgrounds, with many opting for the flexibility of our courses to enable them to study from remote locations and/or combine their study with employment or caring responsibilities.

By excluding the Open University in Scotland's outstanding performance from your coverage you are in danger of inferring that their experience of higher education is deemed less valuable than those of students studying at campus-based universities in Scotland.

A misperception, I am sure, you would wish to correct.

(Dr) James Miller

The Open University in Scotland

Drumsheugh Gardens

Edinburgh