Martin Bean

Role

The Vice-Chancellor is the chief academic and administrative officer of the University, with responsibility for maintaining and promoting the integrity of the University's degree, diploma and certificate offerings as well as the efficiency and good order of the University in general. The Vice-Chancellor leads the institution on a day-to-day basis, chairs senior University committees and takes overall responsibility for all strategy and operations. The Vice-Chancellor's Annual Report to Council accounts for the University's planning, receipt and allocation of resources and development activity each year.

Career

Martin Bean is the fifth person to lead The Open University in the four decades since its creation in 1969 and brings to the role more than 25 years’ experience working at the intersection between education and technology globally.

Before joining the OU in October 2009 Martin was General Manager within Microsoft’s Worldwide Education Products Group where he was focused on developing solutions to help the global education community address its challenges. In this role he was responsible for product management, business development and marketing.

He has also held senior positions with Novell, the global software corporation, including Vice President of Education Worldwide Sales and Market Development. Martin also served as President of Sylvan Prometric, one of the world’s leading providers of testing and assessment services, where he was responsible for worldwide sales, service delivery, marketing and strategy.

As well as commercial roles spanning from Europe to Asia Pacific to North America, he is heavily involved in shaping education in the developed and developing world.

Martin was also President of the not-for-profit AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organisation, which places economics and commerce graduates in assignments around the world. Martin secured grants from major global corporations and managed the Board of Advisors of this 40,000 member organisation.

In addition Martin has served as a member of the Work Force Training and Education Coordinating Board and the National Board of Directors of Jobs for America’s Graduates as well as advising the US Senate on the importance of IT in the Workforce Investment Act. He was also part of U.S. Department of Labour delegations to the US/EU Seminar on Local Employment Development, and to the Economic and Employment Development Seminar in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The 45-year-old Australian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Adult Education from the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. He now lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife and three daughters.
 

Martin Bean is inaugurated as Vice-Chancellor at the OU's Brighton degree ceremony

Contact

The Vice-Chancellor's Office comprises both the offices of the Vice-Chancellor and the University Secretary. 

The postal address is:

The Vice-Chancellor's Office
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Email: vice-chancellor@open.ac.uk

Telephone: 01908 274066

Fax: 01908 655093