The Open University

In depth: What is a smart city?

23 July 2018

The Open University is at the forefront of examining how ‘smart cities’ work. But what is a smart city? Do you know if you live in one? And how might they change how we live and work in the future? Dr Oliver Zanetti and Professor Sophie Watson – who appear on Radio 4’s Thinking Allowed […]

New series uncovers biggest engineering challenge for a generation

18 July 2018

London’s Victorian sewer network is at bursting point and its tunnels are regularly pushed past their limit. A huge engineering project is underway to massively expand the capital’s capacity to deal with its own waste and a new three-part series co-produced by The Open University and the BBC follows the action. The Five Billion Pound Super […]

Memories tell 70 year history of NHS in new BBC series

29 June 2018

Thursday 5 July marks the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), one of the nation’s best loved institutions. To celebrate this milestone and the vital role it plays in our lives, the OU and the BBC have co-produced three programmes that showcase the NHS’ achievements and debate its future. The NHS: A People’s History One of these […]

Will a pill be enough to end the HIV epidemic?

27 June 2018

The People vs the NHS: Who Gets the Drugs? on BBC2 at 9pm on Wednesday 27 June, is an Open University and BBC co-production, following the incredible story of the battle for HIV drug pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, on the NHS. People at very high risk for HIV take PreP daily to lower their chances of getting infected […]

Happy Birthday NHS! Three OU/BBC programmes mark 70th anniversary

20 June 2018

Thursday 5 July marks the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service, one of the nation’s best loved institutions. To celebrate this milestone and the vital role it plays in our lives, the OU and the BBC have co-produced three programmes that showcase the NHS’ achievements and debate its future. NHS at 70 – Live NHS […]

Why “civilisation” remains a contested term: OU academics explain

28 February 2018

The new landmark BBC series, Civilisations, co-produced by The Open University, is set to bring history and art to life in a stunning piece of television. Presenters Simon Schama, Mary Beard and David Olusoga travel the globe to examine dazzling works of art and history – helping us to re-examine our own place in the […]

Civilisations: New landmark BBC series an antidote to modern life

22 February 2018

We live in an age where popular social media videos are often less than 30 seconds long, and people’s attention spans are shorter due to our busy, multi-tasking lives. But now, people are encouraged to pause and enjoy a new visual spectacular from The Open University and the BBC. Civilisations, the new landmark series starting […]

Hugh’s Wild West: new BBC wildlife programme explores the West Country

3 January 2018

Lifelong nature-lover Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pursues his fascination with the wildlife of the West Country as he teams up with the region’s most dedicated nature lovers for a new series, produced in partnership with The Open University. Hugh’s Wild West begins on Saturday 6 January at 6.15pm on BBC Two and runs for twelve episodes. Amateurs are contributing […]

2017: an award-winning year of inspiring BBC TV and radio

20 December 2017

2017 has been the most successful year to date for The Open University and BBC partnership. Our TV and radio programmes reached more people than ever before and have won an unprecedented number of awards, including a BAFTA and a Grierson. Everything we produce creates unique resources for our teaching and learning. Exploring the planet, […]

Blitz: The Bombs That Changed Britain

15 November 2017

In 1940, during the Blitz, an unexploded bomb on Martindale Road in London led to residents being evacuated to a local school, where they were told to wait for buses that would take them to safety. But the buses never came. Instead, the people sheltering in the school became a sitting target for returning bombers […]

OU News

Category: TV and radio