The Open University

Life-changing OU scholarships for disabled military veterans go live

29 April 2026

Applications are now open for anyone injured or disabled in or as a result of military service, who could benefit from the truly life-changing opportunity to study for free at The Open University. The Disabled Veterans’ Scholarship Fund (DVSF), which is supported by generous donations from OU alumni, businesses and supporters of the University, has […]

Open University to lead up to £20 million innovation boost across central area of Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor

2 April 2026

The Open University will lead in driving a new wave of innovation across the central area of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor, including Milton Keynes, Bedford and neighbouring high‑growth districts, backed by up to £20 million of UK Government funding. The investment, confirmed today (2 April) by Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, comes from the […]

Ancient Palestine – Statement from The Open University

4 March 2026

There have been suggestions that The Open University has decided to stop using the term ‘Ancient Palestine’ in all its teaching materials. This is not the case. Academic colleagues remain free to use the term ‘Ancient Palestine’. Decisions about the use of terminology are matters of academic judgement, made by individual academics and teaching teams in line with disciplinary conventions and their professional expertise. That position has been clearly communicated across the University. Previous correspondence with an […]

The Open University launches new toolkit to support parents of neurodivergent children as research reveals families feel overwhelmed and under-resourced

9 February 2026

With neurodiversity diagnoses rising across the UK, new research from The Open University (OU) reveals that many parents of neurodivergent children are struggling to find clear, trustworthy and practical guidance, despite actively searching for support. The survey of 1,000 UK parents of neurodivergent children found that while 70% say they have a trusted place to […]

Research Capability Hub launches with strong national support

30 January 2026

The Open University’s Research Capability Hub (RCH) was formally launched this week (27 January) at a hybrid event that brought together more than 150 participants from across the UK’s social science research community. A major milestone: from design to delivery The launch event marked a significant step in moving the Hub, which was funded by a £4.9M award […]

The Open University becomes largest university in the UK to support tree-planting through its internet searches

20 January 2026

The Open University has become the largest university in the UK to switch to Ecosia, as its default internet search provider. Ecosia is a not-for-profit search engine that uses its advertising revenue to fund tree-planting projects worldwide, helping users turn everyday searches into climate action. After a successful pilot of Ecosia, the OU formally adopted […]

How astronomers plan to detect the signatures of alien life in the atmospheres of distant planets

12 January 2026

Carole Haswell, The Open University We live in a very exciting time: answers to some of the oldest questions humanity has conceived are within our grasp. One of these is whether Earth is the only place that harbours life. In the last 30 years, the question of whether the Sun is unique in hosting a […]

Scheme to train more nurses wins prestigious prize

18 December 2025

A unique partnership between the NHS and The Open University to give people the opportunity to study for a nursing degree while training on the job has scooped a top national award. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and The Open University joined forces in July 2024 to give local people who had always […]

New Civic University Agreement to drive skills and innovation in Milton Keynes

1 December 2025

A new Civic University Agreement for Milton Keynes, backed by some of the city’s biggest and most innovative organisations, is set to drive skills growth and innovation across Milton Keynes. Led by The Open University, Cranfield University and Milton Keynes College, the agreement seeks to foster deeper collaboration between the signatory organisations for the benefit […]

Representatives from The Arab Open University with OU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Josie Fraser (copyright OU)

The OU and The Arab Open University strengthen partnership

27 October 2025

The Open University (the OU) recently hosted its educational partner, The Arab Open University (the AOU) at the OU’s campus in Milton Keynes. The visit provided the opportunity for discussions on a diverse range of educational synergies between the institutions. The OU currently validates 13 AOU programmes in business, computing, education and language studies, all […]

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