The Open University

OpenLearn hits 60 million visitors

18 October 2018

That’s 60 million people who have benefitted from OpenLearn’s mission to make informal learning freely available and accessible to people around the world, regardless of their prior educational record, or financial situation. Launched in 2006, OpenLearn is the home of free learning from The Open University. The site currently averages 44,000 visitors a day, across […]

Game of Thrones: imagined world combines romantic and grotesque visions of Middle Ages

17 October 2018

Take the dragons and the zombies away from the television adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s epic A Song of Ice and Fire novels and you are left with the seemingly authentic portrayal of a pseudo-medieval world. Indeed, Martin was inspired by historical events such as the Wars of the Roses, the Crusades and the Hundred […]

“The single greatest gift that study gave me was hope” – how the OU changes prisoners’ lives

17 October 2018

“The single greatest gift that OU study gave me was hope” says John, an ex-offender who spent six years in prison. CJ went from serving nine-and-a-half years in prison for drug trafficking to gaining a first class Law degree, confidence, and employment. And Stephen, jailed for importing drugs, says that starting with the OU was […]

On the death of a baby: Parents experience of grief and loss

15 October 2018

Dr Kerry Jones is a Lecturer in End of Life Care and researches bereavement across the whole life span. In this article, she debunks some common misconceptions and outlines ways to support parents who are going through this loss. “ It doesn’t matter how many babies we do or don’t have, you can’t ever replace […]

Supporting women in Oldham is lifetime’s work for OU Hon Grad

12 October 2018

A desire to share knowledge and create support networks for women like herself, inspired OU Honorary Graduate Najma Khalid to create a community scheme which is still flourishing seven years after its inception. Najma received her Honorary Masters at the OU’s Manchester degree ceremony this month, in front of a packed audience at Bridgewater Hall. […]

Mount Etna: volcano is sliding towards the sea and now we know why

11 October 2018

The southeast flank of Mount Etna in Sicily is sliding towards the sea at a rate of several centimetres a year. This might not sound like much, but the kind of stress that this movement creates inside volcanoes can cause devastating landslides. If, one day, Etna’s movement significantly increases then it could have serious consequences. […]

New to the OU? Here’s 8 tips to set you up for study

10 October 2018

As new students open their Open University books and start learning with us, we asked our Instagram community to share their advice for anyone beginning with the OU. They’ve given us some top tips to help you get off on the right foot: 1. Don’t Doubt Yourself It can feel overwhelming when you start getting […]

How to manage the digital-related stress of technology

9 October 2018

How can we avoid the stress and anxiety associated with the digital age? Dr Gini Harrison and Dr Mathijs Lucassen give us five tips. In a related article on the dark side of technology, we explored how research is starting to show that smartphone and multimedia use is related to anxiety and poor cognitive function. So, what can […]

Exomoons: astronomers report first ever discovery

8 October 2018

In Star Wars VI we first meet the Ewoks living on the Forest Moon of Endor. The planet Endor itself is a gas giant, but the Forest Moon is a habitable world, peopled by small furry sentient creatures. While we may not be living in the Star Wars universe, astronomers have now found the first […]

Campaigner and Activist Lucy Watts MBE receives honorary Masters

2 October 2018

ome Campaigner and activist Lucy Watts MBE has been awarded an honorary Masters from The Open University for her commitment to public services. Lucy Watts lives with a life-limiting condition and draws on her own experiences of disability to improve the lives of other people grappling with severe illness. She is determined not only to […]

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