Affiliated Research Centres

The Open University also registers postgraduate research students at Affiliated Research Centres (ARCs). These are organizations which have entered into an agreement with the University to register students for an Open University research degree award.

Research students are supervised and supported through the ARC. Open University procedures for student progress and assessment are followed. Local arrangements are subject to Open University approval, monitoring and review in accordance with the code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards as set out by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

Research students are registered across the range of subject areas, with many in the life and biomolecular sciences. Students are studying for an Open University degree at the following ARCs:

Architectural Association School of Architecture (UK)
British Antarctic Survey (UK)
Consorzio Mario Negri Sud (Chieti, Italy)
Dstl (UK)
ESC Rennes (Rennes, France)
Fondazione IRCCS 'Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori' (Milan, Italy)
Health Protection Agency (UK)
HR Wallingford Group (UK)
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Trieste, Italy)
Istituto Clinico Humanitas (Milan, Italy)
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (Milan, Italy)
KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme (Kenya)
Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (Bangkok, Thailand)
Max-Planck-Institut fuer Psychiatrie (Munich, Germany)
MRC Laboratories, The Gambia (Gambia)
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (UK)
MRC Mammalian Genetics Unit (UK)
MRC National Institute for Medical Research (UK)
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit - Viet Nam (Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK)
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Naples, Italy)
Stowers Institute for Medical Research (Kansas, USA)
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (Naples, Italy)
The Roskamp Institute (Florida, USA)
Transport Research Laboratory (UK)

For more information about the programme:

Affiliated Research Centre Programme

The following links provide detailed information about research degree policy and procedures for research students and staff at ARCs: