The Open University

Ancient spells and charms for the hapless in love

14 February 2020

PhD Student at The Open University, Adam Parker writes for The Conversation about ancient love spells and charms. Valentine’s Days is not all love hearts and roses for everyone. For the hapless in love, the day can be a yearly reminder of failed romances, unrequited love and the seemingly unending search for the illusive “one”. Such […]

Infection disease expert discusses the coronavirus

14 February 2020

Cases of the coronavirus (Covid-19) are growing with more than 47,000 laboratory confirmed cases worldwide, nine of them in the UK to date. But what do we know about the virus and can the UK deal with an outbreak of this kind? Dr Helen Wimalarathna, an infectious disease epidemiologist, discusses the virus, the spread of […]

How to study with the OU: advice from students to students

13 February 2020

Our students work incredibly hard, committing to their studies while juggling a combination of life, illness, disability, work and family, and they somehow find time to fit everything in. If you’re just beginning that journey you might be feeling a little overwhelmed, wondering how you’re going to make it all work. So who better to […]

Hospital is back on our screens for another powerful series

12 February 2020

Hospital, the fly-on-the-wall series that documents the incredible work and hardship faced by seven hospitals in Liverpool, is back for its fifth series. Co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s Broadcast and Partnerships team, over eight weeks the series follows the extraordinary work of some of the region’s 20,000 NHS hospital staff, as they […]

OU joins FutureLearn on microcredentials launch

11 February 2020

The Open University is among some of the most innovative universities in the world launching seven new microcredentials on its part-owned FutureLearn.com site, the leading social learning platform. This first suite of microcredentials includes six partners from the United Kingdom and Ireland, Australia and the USA. These founding microcredential partners joining forces in this exciting […]

Finding out the secrets of the museum

6 February 2020

An exquisite 18th century portrait, a colourful Dior dress and dozens of delightful curiosities. These are just some of the fascinating secrets revealed in a new six-part OU/BBC co-production that lets cameras go behind the scenes at the world-famous Victoria and Albert Museum. Starting on Thursday 6 February Secrets of the Museum begins on BBC […]

Pay attention to part-time, report demands

6 February 2020

The needs of part-time students have never been more pressing, a report by the OU and the Higher Education Policy Institute finds. The wide-ranging report from the HE thinktank and the OU considers the sharp decline in the numbers of part-time learners, hearing the views of the people themselves. Author Dr John Butcher presents Unheard: […]

Study gave me purpose when the future seemed bleak

27 January 2020

Fiona Hirons began studying with the OU when she fell ill with Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME in 2002. After becoming largely bed-bound and being forced to give up her demanding career, she says studying helped her to cope with the loss of her previous way of life. Here, the remarkable Fiona shares her story: “I was […]

Series sees Ed Balls explore rise of populism

22 January 2020

Former politician-turned presenter Ed Balls embarks on his travels again in this new BBC/OU co-production, which this time finds him in Europe. After the success of Travels in Trumpland, Ed heads to Europe to discover how the divisions exposed by Brexit are reflected in the rest of the EU. The three-part series – Travels in […]

Interior of Imam Mosque at Naqhsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran

Cultural sites and war crimes, explaining the connection

20 January 2020

As tensions between Iran and the US continue, the OU’s Professor Derek Matravers takes a closer look at at why criticism was levelled at President Trump earlier this month, for his threats to Iran’s cultural sites. Derek Matravers is Professor of Philosphy at The Open University and his research activity includes his involvement in directing […]

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