The Open University

Life inside Pluto? Hot birth may have created internal ocean on dwarf planet

23 June 2020

David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at The Open University, discusses what it means to discover internal oceans on Pluto and other planets in the solar system. Pluto, along with many other dwarf planets in the outer solar system, is often thought of as dark, icy and barren – with a surface temperature of just […]

A new journey for disabled veterans like Daniel

21 June 2020

After joining the Army at just 16 years old, OU student Daniel Bingley was flying high in a military career when a terrible injury turned his world upside down. “In 2012, I was injured in Iraq following an explosion,” Daniel tells us. “It seriously damaged my ears and I still really struggle with my hearing.” […]

From the forces to the courtroom: Kate’s story

19 June 2020

When Kate Moth was medically discharged from the Army in 2016, she began doubting her sense of self and had no idea what she was supposed to do next. Fast forward a few years and Kate is now studying Law through The Open University’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund. As someone who always wants to help […]

Teach your child through creative play

18 June 2020

Although select year groups have returned to nursery and school, there are still a large proportion of parents continuing to educate their children from home. Open University (OU) academics from the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport (ECYS) have joined forces to provide their tips on creative play – a form of learning that […]

OU researchers develop free software set to revolutionise physiotherapy

18 June 2020

Researchers from The Open University (OU), in collaboration with Cardiff University, have developed free software to monitor movement in people recovering from lower limb injury or surgery. OU PhD student Riasat Islam in collaboration with Dr Mohammad Al-Amri, Dr Mohamed Bennasar and Professor Blaine Price created a custom prototype, known as MoJoXlab. The movement analysis […]

Newly detected green light similar to the Aurora Borealis observed around Mars

15 June 2020

Open University (OU) scientists, as part of an international team, have identified a never-before-seen, green glow surrounding Mars with the same characteristics as the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. Using the NOMAD-UVIS instrument onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), a joint space mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos, […]

OU welcomes report seeking better deal for part-time learners

15 June 2020

The Open University welcomes a report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) which calls for better UK government support and improved access to adult learning to reboot the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Long Game – How to reboot skills training for disadvantaged adults, published today (15 June 2020), highlights […]

‘Anything that helps people to experience what I’ve experienced is to be treasured’ – applications remain open for the OU’s Carers Scholarships Fund

12 June 2020

Applications remain open for The Open University’s Carers Scholarships Fund until the end of July, and with the option to defer your start date to September 2021, there’s never been a better time to pursue a desire to study. As this week marks Carers Week, we’re sharing student stories from our caring community at the […]

The Language of Protest: political demonstration in the age of Covid-19

11 June 2020

Dr Philip Seargeant, Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at The Open University introduces, The Language of Protests, a film made in collaboration with Hamlett Films, who previously made the award-winning Grenfell Tower and Social Murder for the OU’s Criminology programme. The study of political protests is a theme which runs throughout the OU’s English Language Studies […]

Double honours for OU’s 50th anniversary campaign

10 June 2020

The Open University’s campaign to mark its 50th anniversary has achieved a second award, this time on an international scale. The campaign #OU50 has been recognised at the CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) Circle of Excellence Awards 2020 where it was awarded Silver in the Year-Long Events category. It follows a win […]

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