The term "open university" was coined by that visionary "seedsman" of reformist ideas Michael Young in an article for a 1962 number of "Where?" magazine. He proposed an "open university" to prepare people for external degrees at London University, with three key functions: (1) to organise new and better correspondence courses for the degree; (2) to promote lectures and residential schools; and (3) to teach by means of television. Over the past 40 years, the Open University, one of the most significant educational innovations of the twentieth century, has continued to grow, achieving significant recognition for academic excellence and adopting new methods of reaching learners, from broadcasting to audio- and, later, video-cassettes. The success of the OU has demonstrated the attraction academic study has for many of those who lack the conventional formal requirements for entry to university-level education. In this article, the author reflects on the OU's origins and early development. (Contains 4 resources.)