OU News

News from The Open University

Shocked and surprised boy on the internet with laptop computer

7 ways to keep your children safe online

From homework to games, research projects to connecting with friends, the internet’s a huge draw for children and a valuable modern-day resource. It’s also a potentially dangerous place to hang out. But while technology continues to change and evolve, the principles of keeping young people safe are the same online as they are offline. It’s all […]

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Lifelong learning is the answer for addressing UK skills gaps

A government plan to fix the foundations of the British economy and boost productivity has failed to acknowledge the benefits of lifelong learning. The Government’s ‘productivity plan’ was published last year, focusing on how to increase UK productivity and growth over the next decade and create a more prosperous nation. But a new report examining […]

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Adult education and lifelong learning vital to UK economy

“Adult education and lifelong learning have a vital role in strengthening the UK’s economy,” and “the Government recognises that there is more to be done to ensure that the UK has the skills and flexibility it needs to grow in the global economy”. That’s according to Baroness Natalie Evans, the UK Government’s Higher Education Spokesperson, […]

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‘Enormously damaging’: OU experts on inequality and poverty report

Global inequality is reaching new extremes, according to a new report by Oxfam which states that the richest one per cent of the population have more wealth than the rest of the world combined. The report puts power, privilege and the plight against poverty under the microscope and claims “the fight against poverty will not […]

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Woman sitting at a desktop computer

Are personal computers on their way out?

As the media reports a record fall in sales of personal computers, Andrew Smith, Senior Lecturer in Networking at The Open University, writes about the changing needs and wants of consumers when it comes to tech… As global technology media lament the record decline in Personal Computer (PC) sales, I am sitting here in my […]

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Useful tool or approach with caution? 15 years of Wikipedia

As Wikipedia celebrates its 15th anniversary, OU Learning and Teaching Librarian Geraldine Smith explains the pros and cons of using it for study… Wikipedia celebrates being 15 years old on 15th January 2016. What it is? Set up in 2001 Wikipedia is one of the largest reference websites on the internet and as of September […]

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Musician silhouette on Stage

David Bowie: A bio-obituary

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring,” said the late David Bowie back in 1997. It’s a poignant statement given his death, aged 69, this week after an 18-month battle with cancer. And the OU’s Dr Frank Monaghan says it’s as applicable to his art as it […]

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From left, MBA graduate Graeme Millar, Assistant Director of the OU in Ireland Heather Laird, Assistant Director of the OU in Ireland John Addy, Diploma in Higher Education in Mental Health Nursing graduate Andrea Craig and Director of the OU in Ireland John D’Arcy. Copyright: Kevin Cooper

Celebrating the power of part-time Higher Education in Northern Ireland

Three OU students shared their stories at an event to celebrate the power of part-time education in Northern Ireland. The Open University hosted a winter reception at Parliament Buildings in Belfast, sponsored by the Assembly Committee for Employment and Learning. It highlighted how part-time higher education plays an important role in helping people to achieve […]

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Cyber attack causes universities across the country to lose internet connection

Universities across the country have been losing internet connections today because of a cyber attack. The publicly-funded academic computer network has been affected by a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack causing many universities, including The Open University, to lose connections, preventing access to external websites. The network, known as Janet, is responsible for the […]

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How much of the new state pension will you get?

The new state pension is being introduced in April 2016 but consumer research shows many people are confused by their entitlements. Research commissioned on behalf of the Open University Business School’s (OUBS) dedicated research centre, The True Potential Centre for the Public Understanding of Finance (True Potential PUFin), found that 45% of employees (40% of […]

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