The Open University

How yoga conquered Britain: the feminist legacy of Yogini Sunita and Kalaish Puri

20 June 2019

Suzanne Newcombe, The Open University writing for The Conversation. From fairly obscure beginnings in the mid-20th century, the practice of yoga in Britain has become a massively popular pastime. It’s hard to find official figures for just how many people practise yoga regularly, but it’s thought that between 300,000 and 500,000 people regularly take part […]

Meet the OU’s International Students

20 June 2019

The Open University is launching the International Open Diaries; five short films featuring incredible OU students and alumni from different corners of the world. Following on from the UK Open Diaries that were launched in summer 2018, these new diaries have a distinctly international flavour. They offer a unique insight into what it’s like for […]

Meat is masculine: how food advertising perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes

19 June 2019

Kate Stewart, Nottingham Trent University and Matthew Cole, The Open University The UK Advertising Standards Authority has introduced a new rule in its advertising code which bans adverts which feature gender stereotypes “that are likely to cause harm, or serious or widespread offence”. This is a welcome step towards challenging the everyday normality of patriarchy […]

Enceladus, NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

OU receives £6.7 million to expand Astrobiology research

13 June 2019

The Open University (OU) has received £6.7 million to expand its Astrobiology Research Group to address fundamental questions about life beyond the Earth. The grant is awarded under Research England’s “Expanding Excellence in England (E3) 2019-2022”. The funding was announced today by Universities and Science Minister Chris Skidmore, as part of 13 government backed projects […]

OU launches scholarship fund to support carers

10 June 2019

The Open University has this week launched The Carers Scholarships Fund, which will provide 50 UK-based carers with a full fee-waiver scholarship of up to £18,000 to study an OU course of their choice. To ensure young adult carers are encouraged to apply, 15 places have been reserved for those between the ages of 18-28. […]

A urinal in a Scottish pub reveals why toilets matter in international politics

6 June 2019

If you wanted to see international politics in action, where would you go? Maybe the UN headquarters in New York to see diplomats debating resolutions of global import? Or drop in on one of the world’s many financial hubs, where trading shapes international markets and determines the success or failure of nations. But you probably […]

The Open University and NHS in partnership to boost nursing numbers on the Isle of Wight

4 June 2019

The Isle of Wight (IOW) NHS Trust and The Open University are collaborating to deliver a three-year apprenticeship programme with investment of over £2m* from the Trust’s Apprenticeship Levy, to increase the number of registered nurses and nursing associates on the island. With 120 nursing vacancies on the island, the programme will widen access and […]

Mental health champion honoured by OU

3 June 2019

Cholena Mountain, mental health practitioner, educator, and expert in personality disorders has been awarded an Honorary Master of the University for work in areas of special educational concern, at the Ely Cathedral graduation ceremony. In recent years, the challenges faced by those with personality disorders have become more widely recognised, and there has been a […]

Brain-to-brain learning could be a reality in 2070

31 May 2019

Brain-to-brain learning could be a reality by 2070, according to The Open University’s Future of Learning 2070: Imagine What’s Next report. The findings, which have been released today to mark 50 years of learning with The Open University, predict that artificial intelligence and full sensory virtual experiences could become commonplace for the students of tomorrow […]

Independent panel suggests changes to Post-18 education in England

30 May 2019

With the goal of a joined-up Post-18 system in England that works for everyone, an independent panel led by Dr Philip Augar has published recommendations to the UK Government on what needs to change in the current FE-HE system. The panel makes 60-odd recommendations – spanning skills, higher education, further education, apprenticeships, student finance and […]

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