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Category: Arts and social sciences
‘Dad kept saying why not do the OU? So I did’
Yvonne Quaintrell had a rough time and school and didn’t do well. But it wasn’t until she became a parent that she found herself so motivated by her dad that she decided to sign up too. And now it’s become a family affair. Yvonne was inspired to study with the OU by her father Harry, […]
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Ancient inscription offers insight into extinct language
A team of archaeologists has recently discovered a 2,500 year old stone on which is an inscription in an ancient, extinct language. We spoke to one of the academics leading on the project, Professor of Archaeology, Phil Perkins, about the impact of this on our understanding of the past: What is the ‘Etruscan Stele’? “Basically, […]
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Winners of International Radio Playwriting competition – slavery, war and corruption
BBC World Service and the British Council, with co-producer The Open University and in partnership with Commonwealth Writers, have announced the winners of the 25th International Radio Playwriting Competition. Joanne Gutknecht from Canada won the English as a First Language category for her script Playing With Fire, while Pericles Silveira from Brazil triumphed in the […]
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Hands-free phones not hazard free for drivers, say researchers
Hands-free phones are often viewed as the solution to eliminating hazards while driving. They stop people holding onto a device and the steering wheel at the same time for a start. But new research, by psychologists at The Open University and the University of Sussex found that alarm bells should ring about these devices too. They found […]
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Why did Tutankhamun have a dagger made from a meteorite?
Scientists have long speculated that the ancient Egyptians used metal from meteorites to make iron objects. Now an analysis of a dagger found in Tutankhamun’s tomb has given us strong evidence that this was the case – and that the Egyptians knew the iron had come from the sky. But why did they use such […]
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Will our Smart Cities be people friendly?
Smart Cities – including Milton Keynes – look to a future which is more sustainable and economically-sound. But does that future involve us all? That question is the focus of research just announced at The Open University. A team of researchers, led by the OU, has been awarded £750,000 to study the impact and engagement of Smart Cities, […]
Is signing an online petition really volunteering?
Every year, more than 21m people volunteer in the UK at least once a year – contributing an estimated £23.9 billion to the economy annually. Since 1984, volunteers and volunteering have been celebrated during an annual volunteers’ week, with award ceremonies and recruitment events being run up and down the country. This year, the campaign […]
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What does the UN want to achieve from the first World Humanitarian Summit?
In 2016, nearly one in five of the 7.4 billion people on our planet live in fragile situations. This represents the highest level of suffering since World War II – and numbers are set to increase as conflict, violent extremism and natural disasters continue to cause massive global disruption. In response to the escalating crisis […]
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Legal aid cuts prevent the police from being held accountable for their actions
Who holds the police to account for their actions? Is it just institutions, such as the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the elected police and crime commissioners, and the forces’ disciplinary procedures? Something that’s often forgotten is the essential role played by lawyers as they try to obtain justice for the individuals who have been wronged […]
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OU research reveals smartphone hazards for refugees en route to Europe
The lives of refugees travelling from war-torn Syria and Iraq to Europe are made more perilous due to a deficit of vital news, Open University research has found. What they need is timely, relevant and reliable information and news, the report learned. The research also found that the smartphones carried by refugees pose both a […]
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