The Open University

Standing on our soapboxes to shout about women in science

29 June 2018

Dancing stars and what forms a mountain are just two of the topics female academics from the OU will be speaking to members of the public about at Soapbox Science MK 2018. PhD Researchers, Eleni Wood and Heidi Thiemann and Planetary Scientist, Dr Nisha Ramkissoon, will join nine other scientists at thecentre:mk in Milton Keynes […]

The OU Business School marks highest achieving students and alumni of 2018

29 June 2018

The Open University Business School (OUBS) celebrated its highest achieving students and the alumni who have made an outstanding contribution to an organisation or to society at its annual awards ceremony in Milton Keynes. The OUBS Student and Alumni Awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of the School’s high-calibre students and alumni. The Awards commend the […]

World Cup: sexism in British punditry is clear for all to see

28 June 2018

For the first time in UK football punditry, both the BBC and ITV have hired women to offer analysis and commentate at the men’s World Cup. It is also the World Cup that has given a clear glimpse into the reality of everyday sexism. Already male pundits have been accused of patronising, condescending and sexist […]

Comet or asteroid? Mysterious ‘Oumuamua shows why we may need a new classification system

28 June 2018

Ever since space scientists first spotted the odd, cigar-shaped object known as 1I/‘Oumuamua in the sky, they have been debating what it is exactly. Suggestions have included an asteroid, a comet and even alien spaceship. Now a study, published in Nature, suggests it may actually be a comet – but an unusual one. The fascinating […]

Is there a new volcano on Hawaii?

27 June 2018

Kilauea, the most active volcano on Hawaii, has been in continual eruption since 1983. It entered a new phase in early May when fractures along a rift on the eastern side of the volcano opened during a series of earthquakes – some of which became volcanic fissures from which lava was erupted. These fissures allowed […]

Will a pill be enough to end the HIV epidemic?

27 June 2018

The People vs the NHS: Who Gets the Drugs? on BBC2 at 9pm on Wednesday 27 June, is an Open University and BBC co-production, following the incredible story of the battle for HIV drug pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, on the NHS. People at very high risk for HIV take PreP daily to lower their chances of getting infected […]

Dangerous climate change is likely, concludes OU research

25 June 2018

Research by scientists at The Open University reveals that sensitive regions of the world are still at risk from the dangerous and potentially irreversible effects of climate change; even if we meet the target of not increasing global temperature above 1.5°C over the next 100 years. The research, which reviewed the targets set in the 2015 Paris […]

A hard Brexit is looking increasingly likely – according to behavioural economics

25 June 2018

Gloomy forecasts for the post-Brexit economy, and a psychological tendency to gamble rather than accept certain losses, may boost public support for a giant leap away from the EU – despite the fact that most experts are advising a cautious small step. Parliamentary rebels have tempered their demands for a vote on the final Brexit […]

Lords launch of Institute of Coding

22 June 2018

Open University (OU) academics were among the 200 guests at the formal launch at the House of Lords of the Institute of Coding (IoC) – a consortium, with a mission to develop the next generation of digital talent. Working with the IoC , the OU will bring together the worlds of academia and industry with […]

The Open University Social Media Engagement Team receives its 'Not for Profit / Charity Content Campaign of the Year 2018 award

Award makes it a hat-trick for OU Social Media Engagement Team

22 June 2018

Social media experts at the OU chalked up another win at the UK Content Awards 2018 in London. The Social Media Engagement Team, part of the Communications Unit, won its third national award of the academic year for the #BrainteaserMonth campaign, which ran throughout January 2018 and involved challenges, puzzles, and dilemmas set exclusively by OU […]

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