We are really proud of each and every one of our alumni.
You are the evidence of the OU’s success. As such we want to keep you firmly in touch with your university, your subject interests, and your fellow students and alumni. This section of Platform is just one place in which we aim to do that. You'll find more on the full range of our services for alumni below and on our services page.
Did you start a business within two years of graduating?
If you are an OU graduate and started your own business within two years of graduating, you can take part in a short survey for the chance to win £60 in Amazon gift vouchers.
The OU takes part in an annual exercise, the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (HEBCIS) involving all UK universities, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
HEBCIS collects information on universities’ interactions with businesses and the community. This information is collated to provide a picture of how universities are engaging with a wider audience and monitors the exchange of knowledge from universities to benefit both business and community members.
As part of HEBCIS the OU is asked to collect information about any graduates who have started up their own business within two years of graduating. Graduates completing the survey will be entered into a draw for two prizes of £60 in Amazon gift vouchers.
The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete and will provide valuable information for the HEBCI survey.
You can start the survey by clicking the link below.
If you have any queries or would like to find out more about the HEBCI survey, please contact melanie.franklin@open.ac.uk
SURVEY NOW CLOSED
And the winners of the Amazon vouchers are... Christine Costello and Sandra Randall. Congrats!
November 2012
If you are an OU graduate and started your own business within two years of graduating, you can take part in a short survey for the chance to win £60 in Amazon gift vouchers. The OU takes part in an annual exercise, the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (HEBCIS) involving all UK universities, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). HEBCIS collects ...
Sign up for OU telephone campaign and earn extra money for Christmas
Based at the Walton Hall campus in Milton Keynes, successful candidates can expect to earn £7.80 per hour, whilst knowing that the work they are doing will have a direct impact on the lives of future students.
What does it involve?
As a caller, you’ll be holding telephone conversations with OU graduates (during evenings and weekends), talking to them about the OU's mission of providing education for all, updating their details and asking them to make a donation to our fundraising projects.
There will be no cold calling – we’re contacting all our graduates in advance about the campaign, and they can opt out if they prefer. You can find out more about what being a caller is like from previous caller Marie Coles.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the application form please visit this website.
The closing date for applications is Friday 14 September at 5pm. Previous applicants need not apply.
Following a hugely successful July telephone campaign – raising more than £86,000 in pledged donations – the OU’s Development Office is looking to recruit even more telephone callers to take part in the next fundraising campaign which will run for four weeks in November 2012. Based at the Walton Hall campus in Milton Keynes, successful candidates can ...
Nominate someone for an OU honorary degree
Have you ever thought about nominating someone for an honorary degree? Like most UK universities The Open University awards honorary degrees to people who have made a significant and particular contribution to society.
Honorary graduates add to what is a special day for OU graduates, the degree ceremony itself, and are keen and positive advocates for the OU, says Una Lawson, Secretary to the Honorary Degrees Committee.
So why not consider nominating someone for an honorary degree?
There are a number of criteria under which your nomination might fall. These are:
- Services to the University
- Services to the educationally underprivileged
- Work in areas of special educational concern to the University
- Academic and scholarly distinction
- Public Services
- Services to the Arts and Sciences
- Exceptionalcontributions to education and culture
- Exceptionally innovative and socially responsible business developments
Honorary graduates in the past have ranged from famous faces such as Judi Dench, Steve Redgrave, Tanni Grey-Thompson, authors Rose Tremain and Roddy Doyle, Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens, broadcaster Simon Bates, economist Evan Davis, and singer Annie Lennox, to people who work quietly behind the scenes, using their skills to contribute to society.
The OU particularly welcomes nominations for women, disabled people and ethnic and other minorities, all of whom are under-represented among nominees.
Find out more about OU honorary degrees, the nomination process and how you can be involved…
The deadline for nominations is 28 September 2012.
Have you ever thought about nominating someone for an honorary degree? Like most UK universities The Open University awards honorary degrees to people who have made a significant and particular contribution to society. Honorary graduates add to what is a special day for OU graduates, the degree ceremony itself, and are keen and positive advocates for the OU, says Una Lawson, Secretary to the ...
Telephone campaign raises £86k to support future students
Generous donations were made by alumni to support a variety of OU projects including the Access to Success fund, Disabled Student Services (DSS) and TESSA.
The calling team who were local to Milton Keynes were made up of OU staff, students and alumni. Louise Liston, campaign manager says:
"I am so proud of our callers and the positive response we have had from our alumni on the telephone. Not only are people so generous at this time but we're hearing some wonderful stories about their experiences of studying with us."
Find out more:
* £86,000 is the projected income from pledged donations over 2 years with gift aid.
Funding for future students at the OU has received a boost following the recent telephone campaign which raised £86,000.* Generous donations were made by alumni to support a variety of OU projects including the Access to Success fund, Disabled Student Services (DSS) and TESSA. The calling team who were local to Milton Keynes were made up of OU staff, students and ...
The OU in Scotland at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
In addition, to complement the 2012 Festival focus on re-evaluating, rethinking and reconnecting with a changing world, the OU in Scotland sponsored a series of debates looking at the real value we place on three aspects of society - education, wellbeing and the environment. Melissa Benn was joined by the Director of the OU in Scotland, Dr James Miller and Mike Russell, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, for a lively discussion at the education debate that considered the divergent education policies across the UK.
Further information on the Edinburgh International Book Festival
There are still tickets left for the OU debate, The Value of the Environment, chaired by Gavin Esler on Sunday 26th August at 5.30pm.
As a major sponsor of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, The Open University in Scotland has sponsored talks this year by Jeremy Paxman, Simon Callow and scientist, Alistair Moffat. In addition, to complement the 2012 Festival focus on re-evaluating, rethinking and reconnecting with a changing world, the OU in Scotland sponsored a series of debates looking at the real ...
OU graduate awarded prestigious Fulbright Award to the US
An OU graduate has received a Postgraduate Scholars Fulbright Award to enable her to study for a PhD at the University of Missouri on one of the most prestigious and selective scholarship programmes operating world-wide. And she says her OU studies helped her success.
While working she studied for an Open University MA in Social Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Research Methods and an Undergraduate Certificate in Health & Social Care.
She received the 2008 TeachFirst Excellence Award for inspiring students to reach for outstanding achievements and has since worked part-time for LKMCo and served on advisory boards to the Department of Education and the Labour Party. She is also the author of “The Six Predictable Failures of Free Schools and How To Avoid Them”, a critically acclaimed book examining the coalition’s policy for funding new schools.
As a Fulbright scholar, Laura will study for a PhD in Education Leadership & Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri.
Commenting on receiving the award, Laura said: “It has been a lifelong dream to study for a PhD. The Open University was invaluable in making Masters level study available to me and now being able to study on a Fulbright scholarship associated with so many Nobel prize winners and Heads of State is simply incredible.
“There is no way I would have had the confidence to study abroad without the support of Fulbright. Just like OU it is a life-changing opportunity.”
Created by treaty in 1948, the US-UK Fulbright Commission is the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship programme, offering awards for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK university.
The Commission is part of the Fulbright programme conceived by Senator J. William Fulbright in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Award recipients will be the future leaders for tomorrow and support the “special relationship” between the US and UK.
The Fulbright Commission selects scholars through a rigorous application and interview process. In making these awards the Commission looks not only for academic excellence but a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give back to the recipient’s home country upon returning.
An OU graduate has received a Postgraduate Scholars Fulbright Award to enable her to study for a PhD at the University of Missouri on one of the most prestigious and selective scholarship programmes operating world-wide. And she says her OU studies helped her success. Laura McInerney studied PPE for her undergraduate degree at Oxford University. After working for two years at ...
OU graduates asked to apply for second degree scholarship at Cambridge
OU graduates are being invited to apply for a second degree scholarship at Cambridge.
The John Crook Scholarship programme at St John's College, Cambridge, is now entering its third year, and is awarded to a graduate of a British university, who has an exceptional academic record, who is the first in his/her family to attend university, and who may not have considered coming to Cambridge or had the opportunity of doing so.
Candidates will be British citizens and will normally be completing or have completed a full-time three/four year Honours Degree course, at an exceptionally high standard, at a university on the list of those eligible for the scheme (which includes the OU).
The John Crook Scholar will be admitted to St John’s College, Cambridge, to study for a second Bachelor’s Degree in the arts or humanities (excluding law or theological studies), or the Degree of Master of Advanced Studies in mathematics or science subjects. Other options may be available for an appropriately qualified candidate.
The award will be for up to two years (depending on the course), and is fully funded; with a maintenance grant at the rate of at least £10,000 per annum plus payment of approved College and University fees.
Application forms can be downloaded from the College website, or may be obtained from the John Crook Scholarship administrator, in the Tutorial Office at St John’s College, Cambridge, CB2 1TP.
Completed application forms must be received by 1 November 2012 for admission in October 2013.
OU graduates are being invited to apply for a second degree scholarship at Cambridge. The John Crook Scholarship programme at St John's College, Cambridge, is now entering its third year, and is awarded to a graduate of a British university, who has an exceptional academic record, who is the first in his/her family to attend university, and who may not have considered coming to Cambridge or ...
Has OU research had an effect on your life or work?
Research at the OU aspires to influence policy, shape professional practice and enrich lives. The OU wants to continue to do research that changes lives in this way and is calling on you to help with this mission.
This is where you come in. The OU would like to hear from you about how the university’s research has influenced your life or work so that we can add new evidence to our impact statements and influence the allocation of funding for future research in these areas.
Just to remind you of some of the highlights of our research over the past two years, OU researchers…
- Are examining the cultural identity and emergence of Black British Jazz (BBJ).
- Developed a new computer toolkit called nQuire which gives children the power to be scientists making new discoveries.
- Relaunched the UK Reading Experience Database (RED), which provides fascinating insight into the habits and practices of British readers during the period from 1450 to 1945. Google Analytics shows the site attracted almost 12,000 unique visitors and over 3,000 repeat visitors over 12 months in 2010-11.
- Developed new techniques to help financial traders to manage their emotions and make better decisions. A key part of this project has been the development of a set of interventions and online resources that can be used to help investors recognise their emotional biases during financial decision making and, where appropriate, to address these biases.
- Issued a report looking at bisexual inclusion and equality issues. The Bisexuality Report has been downloaded over 15,000 times since its publication in February 2012.
- Are building up a picture of the experiences of older kitchen users, which will be used to improve guidance in kitchen design. This work led to our researcher informing the British Standards Institute’s B/599 Access to Buildings for Disabled People’s Committee.
Have you got involved with or been influenced by any of these projects or any other OU research? Has this or any other aspect of OU research inspired you to do something new or view something differently?
Are you in a position to help the university engage decision-makers with our research in new and significant ways, such as product innovation, policy change, or new ways of working in a professional field? If so, we would like to hear from you. If OU research has made an impact on your life in some way, please email platform@open.ac.uk and let us know.
Research at the OU aspires to influence policy, shape professional practice and enrich lives. The OU wants to continue to do research that changes lives in this way and is calling on you to help with this mission. The way in which UK government research funding is allocated has changed. As from next year universities like the OU are required to show direct evidence of how ...
Young head teacher's unconventional career path
Gareth Morris, head teacher of Flash Ley Primary School in Staffordshire, openly says that as a youngster he was “not desperately into school” and “didn’t turn up much either”. It is his experience of primary and secondary education that has helped shape his own approach to teaching and inspiring youngsters.
“First and foremost, teaching is about mutual respect,” says the father of two. “It is also about making sure the curriculum is exciting and interesting. It’s about having a level of connection between lessons so there are elements that link from one subject to another.
“We have also adopted the mantra of ‘believe to achieve’. Yes, we want academic excellence, but we want children to have an indomitable belief in themselves. It’s about respect, aspiration and interest – and getting children involved in the learning and getting teachers to make the most of their talents and being confident in their abilities.”
This philosophy contrasts with his experience of school, when after gaining four GCSEs he couldn’t wait to join the Army. His military career, though, was brought to an abrupt end when he suffered a knee injury. It was at that point he realised he needed qualifications or face the prospect of a lifetime working in dead-end jobs. He studied A Levels in History and English before going to Staffordshire University where he studied history and international relations.
Next he gained a PGCE teaching qualification, and then took a year out to study GCSE maths. While studying, he also earned “a stack of cash” in a sales job but felt unfulfilled and wanted to do something more worthwhile. I was then that he spotted a job as a teaching assistant and found his calling.
In the meantime, Gareth was also commissioned as an officer at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and later became a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army. In 2004, he was faced with the tough choice between his teaching and Army careers when he was called up to serve in Basra.
Gareth said: “I resigned my commission, because being a teacher isn’t the sort of job that you can go away and leave for nine months. I did want to go because I was an infantry officer and most of my platoon was going out there. In the end realised it would have got in the way of my teaching career, so decided to stay.”
Having chosen his vocation, Gareth worked his way up the ranks to become a deputy head at a school in Cheshire before moving back to his native Staffordshire in September last year. On top of his heavy workload, including preparing for two Ofsted inspections, Gareth has studied three modules for his Open University Master of Education (Leadership and Management), as well as his National Qualification for Headship (NPQH) professional qualification.
“As one of the youngest heads in the country, I have found it is experience rather than age that is important,” he says. “I have come in and got seven years’ experience in a range of environments and didn’t have any pre-conceived notions about how education was. All can see is how it should be. It can be quite peculiar sitting at meetings with other heads who are 10 or 15 years older than me, but it is important that they see me for the professional I am rather than how old am.”
Update - It is now four years since Gareth became head teacher. He is currently still in the postion at Flash Ley Primary School.
At 32, OU postgraduate student Gareth Morris is one of the youngest head teachers in the country. However, the path to the top of his profession has been an unconventional one… Gareth Morris, head teacher of Flash Ley Primary School in Staffordshire, openly says that as a youngster he was “not desperately into school” and “didn’t turn up much ...
An inspirational journey from study to retirement
A first time author with an inspirational journey from study to retirement has dedicated her book to the Open University because, she says, it changed her life.
Moira Coleman was one of the OU’s first 25,000 students starting in 1971. She undertook six years of degree studies, self-funded while working full time as a secretary but also taking on extra typing work to cover fees and books.
Remembering those days, Moira said: “I was excited to be part of something that was itself new and untried; I was ready and willing to take that risk. Everything about the OU appealed to me, not least the opportunity to continue working full-time while I studied. The approach to using tutorial support in conjunction with mixed media (then limited to TV, radio and printed materials) to support distance learning was revolutionary at the time and equally attractive.”
A full and successful career followed, with part-time work as a tutor for the Workers’ Educational Association leading to a permanent post on their professional field staff.
“This was the beginning of a 13 year career,” added Moira. “The range of work developed exponentially, opening the way to previously unimaginable opportunities, principally concerned with people who, against the odds, were keen to test themselves at higher levels, as I had done 20 years earlier. It was a chance to give something back.”
In her work with the WEA, Moira developed and delivered a series of courses preparing wary adult learners for the challenge of returning to study, with the objective of reducing first year drop out numbers.
Then in 1997, the work went a step further and on behalf of the WEA, Moira bid successfully for almost £250,000 of National Lottery funding to develop the courses into a computer-based, supported open learning format for disadvantaged adult returners living in rural Suffolk, known as the WEA Trailblazer Project.
“My OU pedigree came to the fore in a key element of the project,” said Moira, “which was enabling tutors to become communicators using digital resources. This was achieved by employing our own software programmer to work alongside both students and tutors.
“Unsurprisingly, he too was an ex-Open University student.”
Moira managed the project and bid to several other funding streams accessible in the Rural Development Area, securing another £500,000. A new post was created for her, Director of Learning Technologies, enabling Moira to cascade the entire experience within the Eastern District of the WEA and nationally.
When the funding ceased, so did the post, but the innovative approach of the Trailblazer project had caught the imagination of local education providers and Moira and the now redundant programmer set up a small software development business dedicated to enabling the education sector.
“This was my final taste of paid work, ceasing in 2010 by which time I was 63.
“Undaunted, I returned with relish to the historical research abandoned during the hectic, career-driven years.”
That research has resulted in Moira’s first book, ‘Fruitful Endeavours: the 16th Century household secrets of Catherine Tollemache’ which was published in August 2012.
The dedication reads: To the Open University, who took me in with an appetite to learn and sent me out with a hunger to learn more. Thank you from one of your first 25,000: 1971-76.'
Moria said: “The dedication is more than rhetoric; the hunger is still there, the desire to look into, not just look at.
“The OU changed my life and I have never ceased to be grateful.
“I found the OU experience to be rich and deep, providing me with a reservoir of mental stimulation that had been lacking before. This, and the gradual process of on-going personal achievement, helped me to gain self-belief. I learned to recognise my own strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to enhance the former and overcome the latter. This had stood me in good stead for more than 40 years, enabling me to think outside the box, commit myself and finish what I start.
“At the risk of over-working a cliche, the Open University gave me an OPEN mind."
Find out more:
A first time author with an inspirational journey from study to retirement has dedicated her book to the Open University because, she says, it changed her life. Moira Coleman was one of the OU’s first 25,000 students starting in 1971. She undertook six years of degree studies, self-funded while working full time as a secretary but also taking on extra typing work to cover fees and ...
Food waste no banana skin for Shane
Shane Jordan is the 26-year-old head chef at the Arc Café in Bristol, where he is attracting diners – and rave reviews – for his ‘waste not want not’ style of cooking, along with innovative recipes and techniques.
His vegan and vegetarian dishes use unusual ingredients such as cauliflower stalks and potato skins, the ingredients that most chefs simply throw away.
His biggest success to date has been a banana curry, which features lightly sautéed banana – skins and all – in turmeric and paprika spices
After completing an OU course in humanities some time ago, Mr Jordan studied human nutrition last year, funding it through a part time job.
He said: “I liked how flexible the courses were, and have learned so much about myself while studying.
“Although the humanities taught me about philosophy and poetry, the Human Nutrition has probably played the biggest part in my life, teaching me about our bodies and our relationships with food. I am a vegetarian chef, so learning about the nutritional side of food really fascinated me.
“Since I passed the course, I have opened my mind to the social problems of nutrition in low income families, and looked at alternative replacements for products such as refined white sugar, refined salt and meat products. I am very interested in food waste issues, and want to be able to help improve the health of children from low income families.”
Shane, who has worked as a chef for the last three years, has become a passionate campaigner against food waste, and hopes his style of cooking will minimise the amount of waste produced by restaurants, which in turn cuts down on landfill, reduces rat problems and saves money.
The inspiration for his OU course and chef work came when he was volunteering with Bristol's branch of FoodCycle last year. He helped provide free meals to the public at the Easton Community Centre.
He aims to promote his ideas at food festivals and school visits, and was a guest chef in the junior Ready Steady Cook at this year’s annual VegFest UK in Brighton, where he was able to create a new level of awareness and understanding among young people.
In the future, Shane hopes to continue his studies and front health campaigns involving young people.
A vegetarian chef is cooking up a storm thanks in part to an Open University course called Understanding Human Nutrition. Shane Jordan is the 26-year-old head chef at the Arc Café in Bristol, where he is attracting diners – and rave reviews – for his ‘waste not want not’ style of cooking, along with innovative recipes and techniques. His ...
Student research into ageing, poverty and volcanoes tops the bill at the OU
Councillor Catriona Morris, Mayor of Milton Keynes, presented the winners of the competition with their prizes. Seven of the prize winners will represent the University at the Vitae Midlands Hub competition. The Mayor was very impressed with the diversity of research topics and the standard of the presentations. She was particularly interested in Alex Rowbotham’s work investigating local communities’ involvement in the design of the proposed waterway that will link Milton Keynes and Bedford.
The winners going on to compete in the Midlands Hub final on Thursday 12 July at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry are:
Arts
Alice Smalley, who used GIS to determine where crimes reported in the C19th illustrated Police News actually took place.
Engineering/Mathematics & Statistics/Computing
Andrew Agyei-Holmes, who is exploring the value of importing western and eastern tractors in his project, Capital Goods in the Agricultural Sector and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania
Science
Anthony Davenport, who is paving the way for smaller, faster computers through the use of graphene in his project, Enhancing the Gap
Pratima Chennuri, who used Fruit Flies to investigate the Role of DNA Damage in Ageing
Marcus Lohr, who presented research into Variable Stars and Stellar Mergers
Leanne Gunn, who developed a new system for forecasting model eruption durations in her project, The Duration of Icelandic Volcanic Eruptions.
Social Sciences
Clare Mumford, who presented on finding a voice in business in her project, Voice and silence in collaborative project work
Other category winners were:
Arts
Alice Smalley, who used GIS to determine where crimes reported in the C19th illustrated Police News actually took place.
Engineering/Mathematics & Statistics/Computing
Andrew Agyei-Holmes, who is exploring the value of importing western and eastern tractors in his project, Capital Goods in the Agricultural Sector and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania
Social Sciences
Clare Mumford, who presented on finding a voice in business in her project, Voice and silence in collaborative project work.
Science
Anthony Davenport, who is paving the way for smaller, faster computers through the use of graphene in his project, Enhancing the Gap.
Other winners were:
Natalie Canning in Social Sciences won the Open University Students Association prize for her research into What factors contribute to children’s empowerment in child initiated social play?
Loes Koorenhof in Life Science for her research Characterising the Neuro-Physiology of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Now in its seventh year the Postgraduate Poster Competition is going from strength to strength, with over 51 students showcasing their research.
As Head Judge, Dr Verina Waights, explained ‘this competition prepares students to share their research ideas with the general public – a must for researchers in the 21st century”.
Find out more:
Postgraduate research projects which analyse the hairs on fruit fly wings to learn about human ageing, predict the length of volcano eruptions and investigate the influence of imported tractors on reducing poverty in Africa, were among the winners at the Open University Postgraduate Research Poster Competition held in June. Councillor Catriona Morris, Mayor of Milton Keynes, ...
Give an hour summer of sport
Running from 30 June – 13 July, this aims to help people who can’t or don’t use the internet to give it a go, and improve their digital skills by inspiring them to get the best out of the Summer of Sport online.
The BBC has created a whole host of brilliant resources to help people develop their online skills – and all designed to get the best from the Summer of Sport!
Over the two weeks there will be various videos and help on the BBC websites, starting with an introductory film fronted by Chris Hollins and Fatima Whitbread.
Building on the success of October’s Give an Hour campaign, the OU are supporting Give an Hour: Summer of Sport. Running from 30 June – 13 July, this aims to help people who can’t or don’t use the internet to give it a go, and improve their digital skills by inspiring them to get the best out of the Summer of Sport online. The BBC has ...
OU videos reveal the science behind the bike
Produced by The Open University, The Science Behind the Bike is a four-part series which takes a detailed look at the what, why and how of cycling and racing.
Team GB physiologists and cycle design experts help explain the reason why some cyclists can go faster than others and the physiological factors involved in bike riding. Shot in various locations - including a wind tunnel and a velodrome - the videos also feature interviews with Olympic gold-medallists Chris Boardman and Rebecca Romero, and Paralympian gold-medallist Sarah Storey.
The series includes footage and discussion about the legendary Hour Record (the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour) with input from Chris Boardman, the current holder of the World Hour Record. Chris talks about the importance of aerodynamics and rider position and fellow cycling legend Graeme Obree contributes with input about the innovations in cycling.
The complete series covers 35 minutes of footage and each part is 8-9 minutes long and is available on OpenLearn.
The material – also available on iTunes U and YouTube channels - were produced to support the Open University module S172 Sport: the science behind the medals.
Why not visit the OpenLearn's Olympic portal and try out Olympize me.
Have you ever wondered which sport you're most physically suited to? Play this interactive game to find out if you’ve got what it takes physically, psychologically and socially to make it to the podium at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
A specially-shot series of videos revealing how science and technology have revolutionised the sport of cycling is set to make tracks on the web, in time for the start of the Tour de France this weekend and London 2012. Produced by The Open University, The Science Behind the Bike is a four-part series which takes a detailed look at the what, why and how of cycling and ...
OU Olympic torchbearer shares her experience
Nicci says: "The day was amazing and a great honour..... I was excited but very nervous, the sun was shining and there were lots of people there to support me.
"The crowds were incredible, Union Jacks, Welsh Dragons hundreds wanting photos and to touch the torch!! I did a slow jog to make the most of it and loved every minute of it.
"The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) staff were brilliant as were the Metropolitan Police who supported us.
Nicci took part on 27 May between Swansea and Aberystwyth and was nominated by her manager at Action for Children for the outstanding work she has done for charity.
Read more about Nicci and why she was chosen as a torchbearer
OU Alumna Nicci Shrimpton was one of the 8,000 chosen around the UK to carry the Olympic torch on its journey to the London Games 2012. Nicci says: "The day was amazing and a great honour..... I was excited but very nervous, the sun was shining and there were lots of people there to support me. "The crowds were incredible, Union Jacks, Welsh ...
What are the chances of meeting your boss on holiday?
You could be going anywhere in the world but the chances can increase, for example, if you go to the same travel agent, who happens to have a special on a certain destination. This might be one to avoid if you have 'called in sick' to go on holiday as Katherine has.
This article is part of More or Less, the radio show that delves into the numbers and statistics behind the news and everyday life. Download the podcast.
Find out more:
Based on mathematical probability, the OU’s Dr Katie Chicot, Staff Tutor in Maths, looks at the chances of meeting your boss on holiday. Are they greater than you think? Read the full article on BBC news. You could be going anywhere in the world but the chances can increase, for example, if you go to the same travel agent, who happens ...
Meet the graduates from Milton Keynes degree ceremony
Mabelle Victoria: PhD in Applied Social Linguistics
An international student who left her family in Switzerland to study in Milton Keynes. She researched non-native speakers and their intercultural communications. The day of graduation symbolised the delivery on a promise to her mum to complete her PhD.
Mark Fry: BSc (hons) Psychology
Airline pilot with Virgin Atlantic. Studied as he travelled around the world with work. Hopes to study Aviation Psychology. Now encourages and advises cabin crew on OU studies.
Jo-Ann Knight: BA Open
Top tip: “keep going it's worth it in the end”.
Studied for her own benefit. Used forums in Platform and StudentHome to engage with students and tutors. May study more in the future.
Each graduate has a unique and inspiring story to share about their study experience with the OU. Three shared theirs at the Milton Keynes degree ceremony. Mabelle Victoria: PhD in Applied Social Linguistics An international student who left her family in Switzerland to study in Milton Keynes. She researched non-native speakers and ...
Postgraduate study: what should the OU offer?
Alumni represenative on Senate, Dr Petrina Stevens reports on what will be discussed in the next meeting and welcomes your views....
Postgraduate study
Having previously addressed the issue of postgraduate study and reasons for most OU graduates deciding to do their postgraduate studies elsewhere, I notice that the final Postgraduate Review will be presented to the next Senate after much consultation and research into Postgraduate choice of university.
Unsurprisingly fee levels are a consideration when thinking of embarking on further study and many graduates can only afford this if support by an employer or sponsor. The main reason for employers not sponsoring students through the OU is that the employees have not requested it. Employers show no preference for choice of qualification until it is negotiated by the employee, so it is up to the employee to present the OU as a choice.
Research commissioned by the OU has shown that prospective and current students also consider tutor/student interaction and student/student interaction to be of vital importance. This focuses on e-mail communication, telephone tutorials and face to face interaction versus virtual sessions.
Is OU flexible study appealing?
The UK Market Strategy work conducted by external consultants in conjunction with the Strategy Office, has shown that the target group (employed individuals aged 24-49 who have an undergraduate degree but no experience of the OU), feels that high quality provision is essential, as well as a qualification which is highly regarded by employers. They also like the idea of full Masters Degrees, together with flexibility in progress so the pace of study can be changed to fit around work and family demands. The competitive fee structure the OU offers is also an attraction.
What is your perception of the OU?
One area which did not score well with this group was their perception of the OU in the following categories: ‘Strong Academic Reputation’, ‘Recognised Degrees/Qualifications’ and qualification that are ‘Well Regarded by Employers’ (Study 2011). You may have your own opinions as to why they have this perception and how it can be changed. As an OU graduate and/or as an employer, what is your experience of this perception?
Is interaction important to study?
Interaction with other students is also an important preference and the OU has little choice but to falter in this. As the OU mainly offers part-time, distance learning postgraduate courses to busy, working people it is difficult for student interaction to be greater. I must note here that the OU also offers full-time postgraduate posts where interaction with other students and tutors is similar to that of other universities.
Despite the desire for greater student interaction, I have heard from some current undergraduate students that some tutorial groups are small due to students choosing not to attend. We may have an anomaly here as it is often through meeting people in tutorials that further social interaction can develop. However an OU student may be older than most undergraduates and have a social life already in place, which would inhibit this development.
The recommendation is that we need to present a postgraduate offer which differs in presentation from the undergraduate offer. Your comments on how the two approaches may contrast, and on any other issue are very welcome.
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Alumni represenative on Senate, Dr Petrina Stevens reports on what will be discussed in the next meeting and welcomes your views.... Postgraduate study Having previously addressed the issue of postgraduate study and reasons for most OU graduates deciding to do their postgraduate studies elsewhere, I notice that the final Postgraduate Review will be presented to the next ...
Student returns to scene of crime!
A thriller writer and former Open University student who ‘returned to the scene of the crime’ as an OU teacher, hopes her second novel will be published before Christmas.
And she believes her studies opened the door to fulfilling her desire to be a successful writer, while combining her work as an associate lecturer for the OU’s Openings course in psychology.
“In the beginning, I studied what interested me, but then the psychology degree was for my work with special needs students,” said Jennie.
Jennie, who now works predominantly as an author and screenwriter, has had much success with her first novel, Death of the Elver Man, which was short-listed for the Impress Prize in 2010 under its original title On the Level. The second novel, The Drowners, is due out towards the end of the year with Jennie aiming to plot out the last two books in the series next year.
“I've found the OU studies invaluable, especially the psychology, which has helped with the crime thrillers. I was considered a failure at school, a waste of a grammar school place. But I know now I can do anything I want if I try hard enough; my self-discipline is so much better than when I was younger.
“I am mildly dyslexic and I have dyspraxia and I find being in a strange place and meeting new people very stressful. With the OU I could control my environment completely.”
She funded her courses through a small council grant for summer schools, and used an instalment plan for many of the modules.
Of all her achievements she is most proud of her French certificate.
“With my dyslexia I was told I would never be able to learn another language, but the
OU language courses are excellent. My BA helped me get a post in an art college teaching Higher and Further Education students and the BSc Psychology enabled me to test and support students with learning difficulties. It has also helped in my new career as a writer of crime thrillers.”
Jennie regularly attends and takes part in readings with other authors, most recently at Middlesbrough Literary Festival in June and the University of Teeside in May.
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A thriller writer and former Open University student who ‘returned to the scene of the crime’ as an OU teacher, hopes her second novel will be published before Christmas. Jennie Finch joined the OU as a student in 1980 and completed two degrees (BA Hons and BSc Hons Psychology) as well as post graduate modules and a certificate in French. And she believes her ...
‘Bouncebackability’ is down to the OU
Simon Moody, 45, is an enthusiastic champion for the OU, having gained diplomas in European Humanities and Geography, a BA (hons) in History and Social Sciences and this year he hopes to finish his MA in Applied Linguistics.
“I dropped out of a comprehensive in the early 80s,” said Simon. “It was a very unhappy experience and I just had a rag bag of CSEs in woodwork and biology.
“The idea of going back to Uni at 28, during the Britpop summer of ’95, did have some appeal to me – but the idea of living on baked beans in baggy jumpers with no disposable income soon waned.”
After seeing general advertisements for the Open University, Simon signed up in 1995, and has been studying on and off with them ever since.
“When I saw the OU materials I was just so impressed, they really are first rate,” he said. “In my view the OU is the only choice for a mature student. And paying in monthly instalments is such a bonus for working people as it takes all the angst out of paying a lump sum.”
Simon works in commercial research and training, and firmly believes that a degree still retains respect.
“Vocational qualifications are coming back into vogue now, but a degree is still a great foundation and retains respect. Everyone needs a foot in the door sometimes, and graduate qualifications give you that.
“I’ve more than doubled my salary since 2000, and haven't been out of work in 22 years even though I’ve been made redundant three times. I have no doubt that my 'bouncebackability' is down to the OU.”
Simon says when he finishes his MA he’d love to study for a Phd: “I feel there are issues which I could genuinely contribute to but ultimately, thanks to the OU, I just love to study. I can’t see that ever changing.”
The Open University journey for Simon so far has, he says, been both hilarious and stressful.
A self-confessed school drop-out has credited the Open University with giving him the ‘bouncebackability’ that has kept him employed for the last 22 years, despite being made redundant three times. Simon Moody, 45, is an enthusiastic champion for the OU, having gained diplomas in European Humanities and Geography, a BA (hons) in History and Social Sciences and ...
