This inaugural episode follows Robert Gordon University student Nithya Chandrasekaran as she retraces the footsteps of Jennie Lee – the trailblazing politician who became one of Britain’s first elected female politicians, its first minister for the arts and whose vision was central to the founding of the Open University.

Along the way Nithya speaks with former Labour Leader Neil Kinnock, ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the Chancellor of the OU, Martha Lane Fox – exploring how Lee’s ideas and legacy continue to shape education and cultural life today.

Carnegie Pioneers features current Carnegie Education Fund grant recipients as they step into the stories of trailblazing figures funded by the Trust in its early years. Each episode follows one of today’s students as they explore the life, work and impact of a historic Carnegie-supported figure, revealing how their pioneering ideas continue to spark change across society.

 The episode features archive recordings of Jennie Lee and audio from the OU's first graduation ceremony, courtesy of the Open University. It also includes an excerpt from Jennie Lee: Tomorrow is a New Day, written by Matthew Knights, with performances by Trish Mullin and Kit Laveri, directed by Emma Lynne Harley with music by Ross Somerville (copyright Knights Theatre).

Carnegie Pioneers was commissioned by Carnegie Education Fund (SC015600), produced by Soundworks Media Ltd with engineering by Mark Munro.