Working with us as an academic
We support our academic staff throughout their career and many spend their entire career here and benefit from the flexibility, study and research leave and research opportunities afforded by our way of working.
Research opportunities
Our academics do world-leading innovative research and development. Our research also influences global policy and enriches lives.
Our research attracts significant funding. Some sizeable grants in 2012 were:
- £560,000 from the Economic and Social Research Council to explore the efficiency of medicine suppliers in Tanzania
- £472,000 from National Environment Research Council to measure tropical wetland methane emissions
- £400,000 from the European Commission to continue researching the surveillance society
Research excellence
In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise rankings taken in 2008, the OU scored highly in quality rankings covering major disciplines in science, technology, education, social sciences and humanities and 87% of our research was deemed “internationally excellent” or better.
- We rank in the top third of UK universities for the quality of our research
- We have major international strengths in Art and Design; Earth and Environmental Science; Computer Science; and Development Studies
- We have over 1,000 registered postgraduate research students
- Open Research Online – makes over 23,000 of research publications freely available
Support for academics
Our academics benefit from the following support and facilities:
- The University has been awarded the 'HR excellence in research' badge - from the European Commission in recognition of its commitment to supporting its researchers’ career, personal and professional development and management
- We are also committed to researcher career development and are signatories to the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and our continuing professional development programme for academics and researchers is informed by the Vitae Researcher Development Framework
- We were the highest ranking higher education institution in the 2010 Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For list for the public sector. Become part of the OU success story, working in a wide variety of academic or administrative roles in Milton Keynes or throughout the UK. Visit our jobs page
- We offer unrivalled expertise in distance learning and associated technologies and state-of-the-art laboratories
- We offer a wide range of online information resources
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Academic view – Professor Sheila Peace
I have been a researcher in gerontology for more than 30 years and I have a wealth of experience in developing and successfully gaining external funding for research projects. I have been at The Open University since 1990 and I was first attracted by the opportunity to develop the OU’s expertise in Gerontology and create ‘The Ageing Society’ course.
