The Open University

OU researcher develops tech set to transform political debates

20 November 2019

An OU researcher has developed a new, innovative, digital platform to harness public engagement during televised election debates. Dr Anna De Liddo, Senior Research Fellow in the OU’s Knowledge Media Institute, created the audience feedback tool in collaboration with political scientists Professor Stephen Coleman and Dr Giles Moss, and typography researcher Paul Wilson from the […]

Open University scientists marvel at the rarity of the Mercury Transit

12 November 2019

Members of the Open University’s space science community gathered together to watch a one-off celestial event on Monday 11 November. Professor David Rothery and Jack Wright, research assistant, were joined by employees from across the campus to witness the Mercury Transit. For the first time in three years, planet Mercury was visible as it travelled […]

Man sitting on train looking out of the window

To say the OU changed my life is an understatement

11 November 2019

OU student David Breakspear had been in the criminal justice system since he was a child. Determined to break the cycle, he began studying during his sentence and is now an active and passionate campaigner for criminal justice and social reform, using his experiences to help inspire and educate others. As one of the speakers […]

“Education has changed my life”

13 October 2019

Mark began his journey with the OU whilst serving a life-sentence in prison. Through his studies he discovered a passion for learning and since his release has enabled him to turn his life around. Now he uses his own experiences to help other prisoners learn. We spoke to Mark to discover more about how the […]

Katharine Boulton at her graduation ceremony

“I realised not all was lost”

11 September 2019

“Even when things go wrong, there are always options,” says 27-year-old OU graduate Katharine Boulton. Despite not getting the university grades she hoped she would, she didn’t let this stop her and combined her industry experience with an OU Masters in Medicinal Chemistry. “I initially went to university to study forensic science,” Katharine explains. “I […]

PCF9: Discussing the future of education and lifelong learning

9 September 2019

The opening day of the ninth Pan-Commonwealth Forum saw 520 educational leaders and practitioners from 61 countries unite to discuss and debate the future of education and learning. Jointly hosted by The Open University and the Commonwealth of Learning, the international conference opened at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh today to focus on Sustainable Development Goal […]

Donna and her husband toasting with a glass of champagne

“Language studies with the OU helped me further my career”

28 August 2019

A degree in foreign languages with the OU enabled Donna James to flourish both personally and professionally through her career development. She believes that her OU studies played a big part in furthering her career. “My greatest success was passing my degree with First-Class Honours on my 25th birthday – I practically screamed the house […]

OU academic gives evidence to Parliament inquiry on coastal flooding and climate change

23 July 2019

Community engagement has a key role to play in policy and planning processes for coastal flooding and climate change, says an OU geographer giving evidence to a Government inquiry. Dr George Revill, Senior Lecturer in Geography from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has today given oral evidence to the coastal flooding and adaptation […]

Business and Law’s high-achieving students and alumni are honoured

18 July 2019

The Open University Business and Law Schools celebrated their highest achieving students in a joint awards ceremony in Milton Keynes on Friday 12 July. The annual awards, bigger and better this year as the OU celebrates its 50th birthday, commended the exceptional achievements of high-calibre Business and Law students and graduates from the previous academic […]

Water on the Moon; the work behind the dream

17 July 2019

Hannah Sargeant is a PhD student at The Open University, working on techniques to extract water from Moon rocks. As around the globe, people remember the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings, we talked to her about what led her to the OU and her work as a researcher: “Why did I choose to work […]

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