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News from The Open University

Chocolate (image by Nawal Escape on Pixabay)

OU-supported Chocolate Scorecard highlights poverty, deforestation and child labour

The Open University (OU) is proud to be part of the 7th Edition of the Chocolate Scorecard which this year reveals the stark reality behind the confectionary’s production. Most cocoa farmers earn below a living income, the forests are still falling, and the children are still working, the Scorecard finds, as it grades chocolate companies […]

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Open University experts at heart of landmark SMILE mission launch

Open University experts at heart of landmark SMILE mission launch

UK scientists, including those from The Open University (OU), are at the heart of SMILE, a pioneering mission that launched today and will transform our understanding of how Earth is protected from the Sun. The Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) — a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese […]

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MK College and Open University offer new groundbreaking degree courses

MK College and Open University offer new groundbreaking degree courses

For the first time, Milton Keynes College Group is now offering full degree courses, thanks to a groundbreaking new partnership with the city’s The Open University (OU). Following a rigorous validation process, the College Group will now teach a range of degrees, giving students the confidence that the quality of the education being provided is […]

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Uncovering Britain’s hidden heritage: Hidden Treasures returns for a fourth series

Uncovering Britain’s hidden heritage: Hidden Treasures returns for a fourth series

A new OU / BBC series, Hidden Treasures of the National Trust begins Friday 15 May at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. The series, now returning for its fourth run, provides rare behind-the-scenes access to National Trust properties across the UK, revealing the painstaking work involved in conserving priceless artefacts and preserving historic […]

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Open University Campus in Milton Keynes

The Open University welcomes once-in-a-generation reforms to open up lifelong learning

The Open University has welcomed today’s Department for Education announcement confirming the first universities and colleges, including the OU, approved to offer new flexible modular provision through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.  The reforms will allow eligible adults in England to access student finance in more flexible ways, supporting shorter courses and modules as well as traditional full qualifications. […]

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Police force project with The Open University studies drivers’ cognitive overload

Police force project with The Open University studies drivers’ cognitive overload

Devon & Cornwall Police has received funding from The Road Safety Trust to support an important new research project, working with The Open University to improve driver safety. The partnership will help lead an 18-month national research programme focused on the mental demands of driving under complex or demanding conditions – situations frequently faced by […]

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How severe has the economic impact of the Iran war been for the Gulf states?

How severe has the economic impact of the Iran war been for the Gulf states?

The US and Israel’s war on Iran has cast a long shadow over the Gulf. It has placed many of the economies that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regional grouping – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia – under substantial strain, says Emilie Rutledge, Senior Lecturer in […]

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State opening of parliament 2026: experts on plans for cost of living, EU ties, tourist tax and more

State opening of parliament 2026: experts on plans for cost of living, EU ties, tourist tax and more

The government has set out its legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session in the king’s speech. Our panel of experts reveals the key points. Measures to ease high living costs Jonquil Lowe, Visiting Academic, The Open University Surveys suggest that the cost of living is still a major concern for UK households, with energy and food […]

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Photo of Open University Law graduate Sade smiling

‘I dreamed of becoming a lawyer, now my children are going to watch it happen’

As a child, Sade, 30, dreamed of becoming a lawyer. But it wasn’t until her youngest son was born and she discovered The Open University (OU) that she realised her dream was within reach. Now a proud Law graduate, Sade reflects on how she successfully balanced her OU studies while working in the NHS and […]

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What it would have been like to experience the dinosaur‑killing asteroid armageddon: a blow‑by‑blow account

What it would have been like to experience the dinosaur‑killing asteroid armageddon: a blow‑by‑blow account

A great Tyrannosaurus rex strides through the conifer trees of her territory, sniffing the air. She picks up the scent from the carcass of a dead horned dinosaur, Triceratops, that she was feeding on yesterday. She walks over and strips off some more shreds of meat, but the smell is foul even for her, says Monica Grady, Professor […]

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