Professor Ian Fribbance

Professional biography

My economics-related research interests were previously focused on applying economics to current public policy issues, particularly in the areas of personal finance and financial education and I was involved in knowledge exchange and employer engagement activity in the area of finance and financial education in particular.  I also have an ongoing interest in the area of the education of economics, and making the subject accessible to new groups of students. This fed into my interest in developing and chairing the innovative module You and your money: personal finance in context (DB123), which was a tremendous success with over 30,000 students during its lifetime.  it has now been replaced by a successor module of the same name. The drive to deliver financial educaion garnered lots of media attention. The course has put financial capability education in H.E. into the spotlight.  In more recent years, in line with my management role around teaching and learning, I have begun presenting and publishing on some of our successful teaching initiatives such as the Social Sciences Facebook page at HEA Teaching Excellence and other conferences,and the development of live online student conferencing, which is now mainstream at the OU. 

I chaired the production of the innovative financial education course You and your money: personal finance in context (DB123), which was studied by c. 30.000 students since it launched back in 2006.  The module opened up the study of 'financial capability' at university level, and helped to re-invigorate the interests of University students in the study of Economics. The course text, 'Personal Finance' achieved an Open University co-publication record. An OpenLearn for personal finance wasdeveloped, along with links to many external organisations. The book and course contributed to many major national debates around the education of 'financial capability' involving government ministers. DB123 was sponsored and endorsed by the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), and the finance they provided was used for widening participation projects across the UK. That widening participation work was shortlisted for a Times Higher Education 'Widening Participation Initiative of the Year' award in 2009. The module was also supported by the Eranda Foundation and I was able to obtain support from Richard Delbridge Foundation for a student prize and PhD Studentship around financial capability. I was also a member of the module team for Personal investment in an uncertain world (DB234) and also led the development and approval of the new Foundation Degree in Financial Services which was launched by Lord Myners.

I have a particular specialism in teaching at Level 1. In addition to my work around DB123, I was an active member of the DD100/101/121 Module Teams, particularly looking after all the Economics-related components and assignments. I subsequently worked on Introducing the social sciences (DD101) for which I wrote a chapter on economic growth, happiness and the environment. In the past I also worked on the module teams for Level 2 economics. As a Staff Tutor, I played a major role in the presentation of the Faculty's courses in the London Region, including the appointment, development and support of Associate Lecturers; the development of tutorial programmes, and a range of other regional and support activities. I have a particular interest in helping to connenct the work of the central OU into the Nations. I have also worked as an OU Associate Lecturer teaching D216 and DB123/DB125 over the past 18 years in the London Region.

I am currently Executive Dean in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences and continue to take a strategic and scholarly interest in all our teaching practices and innovations and supporting our Staff tutor and Associate Lecturer community.