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News from The Open University

OU winning team, pictured at the Times Higher Awards ceremony. Copyright OU.

OU wins International Collaboration of the Year

A project which supported the education of adolescent girls at greatest risk of exclusion in Zimbabwe, won International Collaboration of the Year category in the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2025.   The awards announced at Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday 13 November 2025, announced the OU-led SAGE programme in Zimbabwe (Supporting Adolescent Girls’ Education) […]

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OU launches wireless button allowing dogs to control household appliances

OU launches wireless button allowing dogs to control household appliances

A new wireless button designed for dogs to control appliances has launched thanks to research led by Professor Clara Mancini at The Open University’s Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) Laboratory. The Dogosophy Button allows dogs to switch home appliances on and off using a device tailored to their physical and sensory characteristics. Initially developed to support assistance […]

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The Open University welcomes Justice Committee report on ending the reoffending cycle

The Open University welcomes Justice Committee report on ending the reoffending cycle

The Open University, the largest provider of higher education in prisons in the UK, has today (Friday 14th November 2025) welcomed the report of the House of Commons Justice Select Committee ‘Ending the cycle of reoffending – rehabilitation in prisons’. The Committee’s report highlights the work of The Open University in providing higher education in […]

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aerial view of housing estate

How to make new housing estates work for the people who live there

The UK is grappling with a housing crisis, with a shortage of 2.5 million homes in England alone. To address this, the government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes by 2029 and 12 new towns before the next election. Building new homes, as part of small developments or in large new towns, is imperative for affordable and […]

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The Open University’s “Take Five to Age Well” Wins National Self Care Award 2025

The Open University’s “Take Five to Age Well” Wins National Self Care Award 2025

The Open University is celebrating national recognition after its Take Five to Age Well initiative was named winner of the 2025 Self Care Award by the Self-Care Forum. The award, announced ahead of National Self Care Week (17–23 November), recognises the project’s innovative approach to helping older adults build lasting healthy habits and fostering community […]

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David standing in front of the Red Fort, Delhi, BBC / Hillgate Films and Voltage TVIndia

New series sheds fresh light on the shaping of the British Empire

From Friday 7 November, a new three-part BBC/OU co-production, Empire with David Olusoga, begins on BBC Two and iPlayer at 9.00pm. In this new series, historian and broadcaster David Olusoga explores the rise, rule and lasting impact of the British Empire – one of the most powerful and far-reaching forces in world history. Drawing on […]

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Gamiel Yafai

Champion of diversity and inclusion is honoured by OU

An Honorary Doctorate from The Open University has been awarded to diversity and inclusion strategist, Gamiel Yafai MBE, whose work has contributed to economic, social and cultural change in both Milton Keynes and beyond. Gamiel, businessman and founder of Diversity Marketplace, created his company 20 years ago from the ground up and today oversees an […]

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Triple Triumph: Mum and twin daughters graduate together from same university

Triple Triumph: Mum and twin daughters graduate together from same university

There was no mistaking the joy on the faces of Sarah Chappell and her twin daughters Megan and Abbey Douglas-Chappell when all three donned cap and gowns and celebrated their graduation from The Open University recently. The trio from Cambridge all studied while living under the same roof with Sarah and her husband Andrew, stepfather […]

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Vice-chancellors from the participating universities at the event in Westminster, including the OU's Vice-Chancellor Professor Dave Phoenix (centre)

New collaborative of research-focused universities launches to give voice to critical research and innovation drivers

A new national collaborative comprising 10 leading research-focused universities – ResearchPlus – was formally launched on Tuesday 28 October at a special Parliamentary event in Westminster.  ResearchPlus seeks to give a collective voice and advance the social and economic contribution of research-focused universities that constitute a critical element of the UK’s research and innovation system […]

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Pivotal moment for humanity as global tipping points edge closer to irreversible change

Pivotal moment for humanity as global tipping points edge closer to irreversible change

Global warming of around 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels is pushing several critical parts of the Earth’s climate system towards or beyond irreversible thresholds, according to the newly published Global Tipping Points Report 2025. Dr Ivan Sudakow, Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at The Open University, is among 160 authors from 87 institutions who contributed to the […]

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