The Open University

‘Open’ education – a celebration of knowledge sharing

7 March 2018

Education is all about sharing; sharing information and sharing knowledge. Open Education Week (Monday 5 – Friday 9 March 2018) is a celebration of the global Open Education Movement. Its goal is to raise awareness of the Open Education movement, which combines learning with modern technologies, such as the internet, so that anyone can share education resources and […]

OU celebrates 20 years of teaching law

7 March 2018

The Open University (OU) is this year marking the 20th anniversary of welcoming its first ever in-take of law students. On the 7th February 1998, 861 students started the first ever Open University law course – W200 Understanding Law – which was delivered through a partnership with the College of Law. It was the first […]

Message to OU students from the Vice-Chancellor: Pension Strikes

6 March 2018

“The Open University, along with more than 60 others around the UK, is caught up in industrial action called by with the University and College Union (UCU) over future pension arrangements. “I very much hope that this long-running and complex dispute can be resolved in national negotiations, and I welcome the agreement by both sides […]

Open University welcomes tech pioneer Jacqueline de Rojas to Institute of Coding

6 March 2018

Jacqueline de Rojas CBE, President of techUK, has been appointed co-chair of the Institute of Coding (IoC) which brings together industry and academia in a co-ordinated effort to address the UK’s digital skills gap. The Open University is one of the key partners in the Institute of Coding, leading on graduate employability and the […]

Sexual violence may be in the Hollywood spotlight, but there are limits to speaking out

3 March 2018

The entertainment award season hits its peak with the 90th Academy Awards – the Oscars – on March 4 2018. Since the public outing of Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual abuser, award ceremonies have become spotlights to display solidarity and declare time on sexual harassment and gender inequalities in and beyond the film industry. […]

Why nutritional psychiatry is the future of mental health treatment

2 March 2018

A lack of essential nutrients is known to contribute to the onset of poor mental health in people suffering from anxiety and depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and ADHD. Nutritional psychiatry is a growing discipline that focuses on the use of food and supplements to provide these essential nutrients as part of an integrated or alternative […]

5 of the top orchestral film scores of all time

1 March 2018

Whether it’s the haunting theme from Schindler’s List or the magical motif from Harry Potter, there’s no doubt that film scores are hugely evocative and an integral part of the cinema experience. Dr Ben Winters is a Senior Lecturer in Music, an expert in Hollywood film music, and can often be found digging through manuscripts […]

How to study with mental health issues – advice to students from students

1 March 2018

The OU has more students who tell us about their mental health issues than any other university in the UK. From talking to your tutor to binge studying on the good days, from planning your day to embracing even the smallest achievement, here’s some sage advice from those who’ve been there… 1) It’s good to […]

Why “civilisation” remains a contested term: OU academics explain

28 February 2018

The new landmark BBC series, Civilisations, co-produced by The Open University, is set to bring history and art to life in a stunning piece of television. Presenters Simon Schama, Mary Beard and David Olusoga travel the globe to examine dazzling works of art and history – helping us to re-examine our own place in the […]

Children are far from protected from junk food ads – especially on social media

28 February 2018

From spreading fake news, to fostering narcissism and online bullying, social media is under increasing fire. The question of how to harness its potential while limiting negative effects is one of the biggest of our age. And its effects on children’s physical and mental health is perhaps one of the greatest challenges. Yet among all […]

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