The Open University

‘OU study opened the door to a whole new career,’ says trainee detective, John

12 August 2025

When surf school owner John, 47, challenged himself with a return to education, he had two clear goals – to study a captivating subject, while unlocking new career opportunities. John never imagined that his Open University (OU) degree would set him on course to become a Detective Constable in his home county. As a new […]

Explore the beauty of flowers in A Pressing Matter

12 August 2025

Watch tonight’s episode of The One Show to see the first in a series of short films co-produced by The Open University (OU) and BBC, with this episode exploring the art and science of pressed flowers. A Pressing Matter airs on Tuesday 12th August at 7pm on BBC One and will be available to watch […]

Two Open University Academics win prestigious teaching award

7 August 2025

Two Open University academics have been honoured with a National Teaching Fellowship from the Advance HE Teaching Excellence Awards 2025. Diane Butler, Professor of STEM Education, and Professor Carlton Wood, Head of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems, have both received National Teaching Fellowships, in recognition of their outstanding impact on student outcomes and advancing teaching in […]

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Free online resources to promote a safer use of AI in legal settings

6 August 2025

A new suite of free resources spearheaded by The Open University is launched today (Wednesday 6th August 2025) to both embrace AI and recognise its challenges for the legal and access to justice sector. The rapid advance and integration of Generative AI (Gen AI) has brought huge changes and a myriad of ethical challenges for […]

OU’s Open Business Creators Fund awards £30,000 to small businesses

29 July 2025

The Open University (OU) has granted a total of £30,000 to 20 student-led businesses through its Open Business Creators Fund. The fund, which is co-funded by Santander Universities and the Higher Education Innovation Fund, provides crucial financial support to small and aspiring businesses owned by OU students and alumni. 350 budding entrepreneurs signed up to […]

‘Then the city started to burn, the fires were chasing me’ – 80 years on, Hiroshima survivors describe how the atomic blast echoed down generations

25 July 2025

I’m not sure if it was the effect of the atomic bomb, but I have always had a weak body, and when I was born, the doctor said I wouldn’t last more than three days. These are the words of Kazumi Kuwahara, a third-generation hibakusha – a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki […]

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Speculation of state-pension retirement at 74? OU expert gives us the truth

24 July 2025

With recent reports suggesting that the state-pension age could be raised to 74 for future generations we asked Jonquil Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Personal Finance at The Open University, to tell us how this news came about and where the truth lies. “Alarmist headline-grabbing” is the verdict from Jonquil as she says the press zoned […]

Scientists simulate the Solar System’s ‘ice volcanoes’ in OU’s Milton Keynes lab

24 July 2025

A team of international scientists, including researchers from the Atmospheric Research and Space Exploration group at The Open University (OU), have recreated the extreme conditions found on icy moons in deep space and revealed the unstable behaviour of water. In the near-zero pressure environment of space, water reacts very differently from how it does on […]

Triple offer to SMEs for brighter future in global markets

21 July 2025

Gaining a foothold in international markets in today’s uncertain times can deter many small businesses. This is the impetus behind a new multi-stranded offer to SMEs to give them the boost they need to embark on global trade. The Business Export Exchange Programme (BEEP) is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between The Open University (OU) and TIN […]

Why the UK’s butterflies are booming in 2025

17 July 2025

Biodiversity is in rapid decline, across the UK and globally, says Willow Neal, Postgraduate Researcher in Conservation Ecology at The Open University. Butterflies are excellent for helping us understand these changes. Where butterfly communities are rich and diverse, so too is the ecosystem. But the opposite is also true: if butterfly numbers are low and […]

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