The Open University

Tributes to Gary Slapper, the first Head of the Law School at The Open University

6 December 2016

Professor Gary Slapper, the first Head of the Law School at The Open University, has died. Gary joined The Open University in 1997 and maintained his links with the OU as a Visiting Professor after leaving in 2011 to take up a post as Director of New York University, London. Professor Rebecca Taylor, Executive Dean […]

Diamond Review: Wales leading the way on sustainable HE funding

29 November 2016

Higher Education funding and student support in Wales is set for significant change. As the Welsh Government responds to Professor Sir Iain Diamond’s review and consults on a progressive new funding regime, Hannah Pudner, Assistant Director (External Strategy) at the OU in Wales, considers the implications for part-time students in Wales. When it was set […]

Mike Tomlinson, Richard Gillingwater and Sir Gary Verity

Honorary degrees for inspiring Yorkshire sports and charity leaders

22 November 2016

The efforts of two inspirational men from Yorkshire in promoting sport and fundraising for cancer charities have been honoured by the OU. Mike Tomlinson, who has devoted his life to continuing the the extraordinary legacy of his wife Jane – who completed seven years’ worth of physical challenges after being given just six months to live – […]

New search site offers ‘rich’ resources for adults returning to learning

21 November 2016

Adults returning to learning, whether at college, home, or at work, now have a great way to find their route into study, thanks to a new Open University-led initiative, supported by the HEFCE National Networks for Collaborative Outreach (NNCO) programme. The PEARL (Part-time Education for Adults Returning to Learn) website signposts educational opportunities for adults, so […]

Success for OU co-productions at The Grierson Awards

18 November 2016

The OU is celebrating success at an international awards ceremony for two of its co-productions with the BBC. The two programmes, How to Die: Simon’s Choice and The Hunt achieved success at the 44th Grierson Awards, hosted by Jon Culshaw and held at The Mermaid, London on Monday 7th November. The awards recognise and celebrate […]

Government called on to help adults gain new skills

10 November 2016

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement later this month The Open University is calling for government to lift the funding restriction, in England, preventing adults from retraining with a second degree. The Open University argues that extending tuition fee loans – particularly to adults wanting to study part-time for a second qualification in a new subject […]

Honorary awards for business women helping young people

9 November 2016

Two business women who have both set up organisations to help children in difficult circumstances have been awarded honorary Masters Degrees. They joined over 300 Open University graduates receiving their degrees at a ceremony in Milton Keynes. Improving care for young people with neurological conditions Leaving school at the age of 15 with no qualifications, it […]

Photograph of graduates at OU degree ceremony

Sarah Brown and Sally Magnusson among those honoured at Edinburgh ceremony

31 October 2016

Global campaigner Sarah Brown and broadcaster and author Sally Magnusson were among those receiving awards at Open University (OU) degree ceremony in Edinburgh. Their awards were conferred alongside 560 graduating students and fellow honorary graduates Tessa Ransford OBE (posthumously), poet and founding director of the Scottish Poetry Library and Tommy Whitelaw, dementia and care campaigner […]

Photograph of a large group of people celebrating

Happy 10th birthday OpenLearn

31 October 2016

This year, the OU’s free learning portal OpenLearn celebrates its 10th anniversary, hot on the heels of welcoming its 40 millionth visitors. We explore OpenLearn’s continuing success and take a look at the changing popularity of courses. In 2006 The Open University was the first UK university to make course materials freely available online in […]

Students offered additional learning support following OU operational difficulties

24 October 2016

The Open University has announced to its student body that it is putting in place additional learning support to help them through their studies following the operational difficulties of a new policy and system designed to increase access to tutorials. The introduction of the new tutorial delivery policy has been accompanied by a number of […]

OU News

Category: Around the OU