Ms Rehana Awan

Rehana is the Academic Lead for Access, Participation and Success in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education, Languages and Sports and Senior Lecturer/Academic Lead for EDI in the School of Computing and Communications in the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. In these roles Rehana directs activities which identify, design and deliver improvements to student support, curricula, and resources to reduce degree awarding gaps. These roles are a nexus of praxis drawing together her research to inform policy and practice at the OU.

After joining the OU in September 2008, Rehana has held several roles over the years including Regional Coordinator for Openings, Presentation Manager for Access, Senior Manager in AL Support and Professional Development, Manager Communications and Engagement on the Open Programme. Rehana moved to an academic contract in 2019 when she became the first Staff Tutor/Lecturer for Open and Access and Academic lead for the Student Support Team. She was also the OU’s first Academic Lead for Interdisciplinary Studies. This role aligned well with Rehana's own interdisciplinary background and research interests.

Rehana has also been the co-chair of the Black and Minority Ethnic staff network (2020-2024). She chaired the first ever event for South Asian Heritage month, was part of the team that set up the Race and Ethnicity Hub and was Chair of the group looking to improve support for Black students with mental health conditions. She also set up a peer mentoring scheme for racially minoritised staff and contributes to the student pipeline group as part of the OUs submission for the Race Equality Charter.

Before joining the OU, Rehana worked in Further Education as Head of Teacher Training, and Access to HE. Prior to that she worked in the private sector for several years in training and management development.

Rehana is also an Associate Lecturer. Currently she supports students coming to the end of their qualification on a stage 3 module E320 Contemporary Research with Children and Young People. She has also tutored on an introductory Social Sciences module as well as Access. Rehana has demonstrated her commitment to leading and managing teaching and learning as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and Fellow of the Staff and Educational Development Association (FSEDA). 

Rehana’s doctoral research focused on student narratives and degree awarding gaps at the OU.

Research interests

Rehana is interested in inequalities in education, online teaching and learning, online teacher development, transitions to HE, and multi and interdisciplinary study.  

Teaching interests

Access, Social Sciences, Sociology, Education, and Educational Research. 

External collaborations

Rehana is External Examiner for the Certificate in Higher Education at Cardiff University. She has been a subject specialist moderator for Open College Network and was External Advisor and Assessor for University of Birmingham's UKPSF scheme.