OpenUK October 2025 Newsletter 1

Zin Lwin

14th October 2025

Dear Readers,

October is upon us, and as we fall into autumn, it’s a last chance to apply to be an OpenUK NED on our Board. Applications close 11.59 pm UK on Tuesday, 14th October! So don’t forget to apply if you’d like to be considered. If that’s not for you, we’ll be sharing our Ambassador Refresh in the next few weeks with details of how to apply to join the Ambassador program.

We need some additional experienced and dedicated Non-Executive Directors to join the OpenUK Board from January 2026. This is an opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction and governance of the organisation during a period of unprecedented change, growth and innovation in the UK and global Open Technology landscape. Please take a look at the Role Description, and if you have the right skills and would like to apply, we look forward to receiving your application. Applications close 23:59 UK on 14 October.

Note that all Directors must have been UK tax resident in the preceding 12 months. Please share with anyone you know who might have those skills and the commitment to join our Board. 🙏

Apply Now

Standard Essential Patent Response to the UK IPO Consultation

OpenUK’s Legal Advisory Board submitted a response to the recent consultation, drawing the UK Intellectual Property Office’s attention to key challenges and possible solutions.

Read Response

OpenUK Roundtable in Parliament Filling the Skills Gap with Open Source

Our political engagement continues after the Recess with a combination of roundtables in Parliament and our 6th Annual Awards.

Our rescheduled Skills Gap session will be hosted by Sarah Edwards MP on 5 November. We’ll be sharing a UK Open Source Skills Report in advance of this meeting.

Roundtables are held in Parliamentary committee rooms within the Palaces of Westminster, under Chatham House rules and are not open to the press.

Would you like to write for the OpenUK Blog?

The OpenUK blog shares a wide range of topics, and we hope it is of relevance and interest to our community. We are looking forward to reading your insights and sharing them on our blog. Accepted blogs will be shared across our social media and newsletter. You can find out more about submission as well as read our blogs on our blog page.

Submit Blog

OpenUK Events

Join the AI community discussing openness and agentic AI as you shape the content of the day by joining us in London, in person at our Agent Open Unconference in partnership with the AI Alliance on 21 October, kindly hosted at Civo Tech Junction. I conferences don’t come with a list of speakers or an agenda, but have content shaped by attendees on the day!