General

On the 5th September 2011, the OU Life Sciences Society officially ceased to exist. It never really existed as it did not perform any of the functions of the society. 

It did not have an active membership. It did not have a database of membership details. There were very few face-to-face meetings. The members it did have were all current students. Most of them were already over-committed. The originator of the Society seemed to know very little about what was involved and had very little interaction with the student OUSA representatives, or indeed, with the OUSA offices. There were a number of irregularities in the workings of the society nad finally a majority of the remaining members voted to close it down and donate the balance of the CUBS account to OUSET.

Peter Canning.

OULSS Point of contact and co-mod of the Platform Group.

40 years after the first students crossed the stage at London’s Alexandra Palace to collect their awards, the Open University (OU) is marking its first degree ceremony this weekend and celebrating its success. 

The University first began hosting these memorable events to honour its graduating students in June 1973, when some 867 students gathered with their friends and family for the inaugural ceremony.

Since then, the OU has hosted more than 700 such events in locations across the UK, Ireland and the rest of the world and a typical year will see more than 20 ceremonies taking place.

During that time the OU has grown to become the largest education institute in the UK and is widely regarded as a leader in the field of flexible learning with almost a quarter of a million students, 15,000 of which are overseas.

Back on June 23 1973 Walter Perry, then Vice-Chancellor used his speech to commend the assembled students and praise their contribution to the development of the fledging University. He said: “You, the graduates were the goal that we dimly discerned through the mists of doubt and uncertainty”

Those who succeed have exhibited not only the necessary intellectual capacity, but also qualities of staying power and determination that will, I predict, come to be regarded as the particular hallmark of …The Open University.”

Almost two million students have now studied with The Open University in courses ranging from Digital Photography to Astro-Physics. The University is also home to world-leading research across a range of subjects at its central campus in Milton Keynes as well as at its other bases around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Speaking ahead of the anniversary, Martin Bean, current Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, said: “The Open University has always been at the cutting edge of flexible learning, from our early days of BBC programmes right through to our use of today’s technology which allows people to study wherever they are and however they wish.

“Those early values of flexibility and openness are still at the heart of the OU today and our students still display the qualities so praised by Walter Perry at that first graduation ceremony. Now more than ever it is important that people are able to learn and develop themselves without putting their lives on hold, and indeed some 70% of our students are in employment whilst studying.

“Meeting graduates at some of our degree ceremonies is one of the best parts of my job, and this weekend presents the opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come over the last 40 years and to look forward to the countless students still to enjoy that happy moment of crossing the stage to collect their degree.

Everyone can support the Open University

To coincide with the anniversary, the OU has launched an OU 'Twibbon', an image which you can add to your Twitter and Facebook profile pictures and join a campaign to support the university. If you are a student, a former graduate, or simply a fan of the OU, you can 'wear' your OU e-shield with pride.
 

The excitement and the risks linked to being a scientist working on the edge of a volcano were made clear and personal in a live chat with Professor Hazel Rymer on The Open University Facebook page today, 31 May 2013. Responding to a question posed by Fiona Horton, one of the guests of the chat, Hazel Rymer recounted some of the most dangerous events of her career, which included being stranded on an “island” surrounded by flowing lava, and having to walk on the hot stuff.

During the two-hour live exchange with students, prospective students and other fans of OU Facebook page, Prof. Rymer answered many questions on volcanology and gave advice on what to study in order to become a researcher in her field. She also explained how to join an expedition to study volcanoes in Nicaragua.

She joked that the riskiest part of her expeditions is driving around the M25 on the way to the airport. However she also conceded that it is a risky pursuit, especially when the research is focused on active volcanoes. Hazel Rymer mentioned the fact that she had lost colleagues and friends in volcanic eruptions, and recounted two of the near misses she had survived in her own work.

 

Hazel Rymer said:

‘The first was during the 1991-3 eruption at Mount Etna. We were carrying out a gravity survey in collaboration with the Italian Civil Defense, and were helicoptered to a place within the active lava flow. It was a sort of island, a hill, and the lava was flowing all around. We made our measurements, but when it was time to leave, the helicopter was unable to return. So, we had to make our way out of the Valle del Bove by crossing the active lava. Our boots got a bit hot and we could see the red hot lava beneath the blackened surface, but the surface was cool enough to walk and more to the point support us.”

To read the rest of the story go to OU Facebook page and look for Past Events and the chat with Prof. Rymer. You can also watch out for more chats coming up shortly in our OU DeskTime campaign.
Posted 31 May 2013