The Open University

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New study seeks to learn from students’ experiences of mental health in education

27 October 2021

The Open University (OU) has partnered with the Mental Health Foundation on a study to pool students’ experiences of mental health related education in schools, colleges and universities across the UK. Designed in collaboration with students who have drawn from their own experiences of mental health in education, the study will take place on the […]

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Business Barometer reveals skills shortages to be a long term strategic challenge for employers

7 October 2021

According to The Open University’s (OU) annual business report published (today) in partnership with the Institute of Directors, UK employers are facing a skills shortage when it comes to hiring specialist, entry level talent. The Open University’s annual Business Barometer 2021 report reveals 63% of organisation leaders are struggling with recruitment as candidates lack specialist […]

OU scientist hails space probes first close-up pictures of Mercury

4 October 2021

The joint European (ESA) and Japanese (JAXA) Space Agencies’ mission BepiColombo swung past its destination planet Mercury at only 200 km above the surface in the early hours of 2 October and sent back some spectacular pictures. David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at The Open University has been closely associated with the mission for […]

OU academics get funding for Mars research

15 September 2021

Martians may be the preserve of 20th Century science fiction writers but planetary scientists are still fascinated with Mars and the possibility that primitive life-forms once existed – and if evidence of that remains today. Now two Open University academics have been awarded combined funding of over £200,000 to help unlock the secrets of the […]

OU mathematics professor honoured by Royal Society in their annual awards

24 August 2021

Professor June Barrow-Green has been awarded the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal by the Royal Society for her research in 19th and 20th century mathematics, notably on historical roots of modern computing, dynamical systems and the three-body problem. Her work places special emphasis on the under-representation of women in historical narratives and in contemporary mathematics. Her recent work includes […]

OU astronomer part of international team that captures galaxies in ultra-high definition

18 August 2021

An international team of astronomers have published the most detailed images ever seen of galaxies beyond our own, revealing their inner workings and black-hole activity in unprecedented detail. The images were created from data collected by the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), a network of more than 70,000 small antennae spread across nine European countries. The […]

Scientists from the OU and Harvard publish new findings to help fight against skin cancer

4 August 2021

A new study by an international team of researchers, including academics from The Open University and Harvard University, has had its findings published in the journal Cell. They have presented the discovery of a new mechanism that can darken the colour of human skin as a natural defence against ultraviolet (UV)-associated cancers. Melanin, the dark […]

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OU research informs development of new golf athlete monitoring app

27 July 2021

Informed by Open University (OU) research, a new golf monitoring app has launched, which is designed to offer in-depth athlete analysis as well as research insight. The AMI Sports: Golf app enables golfers to track their training, practice, tournaments and daily wellness measures to provide insights to optimise their performance and reduce the risk of […]

Open University lab final destination for extraterrestrial samples that could reveal secrets of the Universe

21 July 2021

Scientists from The Open University have today taken delivery of pristine samples from an asteroid which could reveal the secrets to how our Solar System formed. The spacecraft ‘Hayabusa2’ launched by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in December 2014 travelled over 5 billion kilometres before flying past the Earth in December 2020 to deliver its […]