The Open University

Revealed: what sexism in call centres can teach us about sexism in society

6 February 2018

Although you are likely to have dealt with both male and female call centre agents, the fact is that 71% of workers in the global call centre industry are female. Dubbed the “female ghetto” or, more positively, “female-friendly workplaces”, women are significantly over-represented in call centres. The reason for this is linked to one of […]

Science isn’t for girls? How Amy proved her doubters wrong

5 February 2018

From a young age, 26-year-old Amy King was fascinated by science. But she was told by her school that “science isn’t for girls” and by a traditional university at interview that she was “too glamorous to be a scientist”. She proved them both wrong, and is on track to achieve her dream of a degree […]

Social mobility thread must run through new Office for Students, says OU

5 February 2018

The Open University is calling on the new Office for Students (OfS) to lead the way in improving the chances of people from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university. In a policy pamphlet: Social Mobility and the Office for Students – The Five Essentials it sets out five steps to reverse the decline in numbers of students […]

How learning analytics can provide students (and teachers) what they want

2 February 2018

The words ‘analytics’ and ‘data’ might seem alien or even intimidating to most of us – unless you are a number-cruncher or a market analyst, why would they be of any use, right? However, Professor of Learning Analytics at The Open University, Bart Rienties, has spent much of his career researching how data can improve […]

OU calls for action after figures show disadvantaged students “let down”

1 February 2018

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are being let down by the university system in England, new figures show. A Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) assessment showed a further annual decrease of two per cent in the overall number of disadvantaged students. Although the number of people from disadvantaged backgrounds starting full-time courses went up by three […]

Pension age rise for women sparks inequality fears

1 February 2018

Amid recent battles for equal pay by BBC women and ahead of next month’s centenary celebrations of women being given the vote in the UK, it might be a surprise to learn that equality is not always welcome between the sexes. The law has changed to create equality of state pension age for men and […]

Reading aloud to children: 7 steps to making it magical

31 January 2018

There is no blueprint for reading aloud, but these simple steps from Professor Teresa Cremin will help you relax and enjoy the special time that is sharing a book with your child. She says: “Reading aloud not only nurtures children’s pleasure in reading, it offers them models of how a book should sound and feel, […]

How gender equality can help fix the construction industry

26 January 2018

The government-commissioned Farmer Review warned in 2016 that the UK construction industry was “facing challenges that have not been seen before”. In no uncertain terms, it called for major industry-wide change. The “overwhelming risks” foreseen in the review sadly seem to have come to pass. Major contractor Carillion’s collapse comes shortly after an autumn in […]

“Nurses need better support,” says OU Head of Nursing

26 January 2018

Nurses must be given support from NHS managers to learn while they earn as part of a new drive to reverse the debilitating exodus from the profession, according to The Open University’s Head of Nursing. Julie Messenger welcomed a report by the House of Commons Health Select Committee, which endorsed the need for different routes […]

Open University takes lead role in new Institute of Coding

25 January 2018

More than 500,000 computer scientists are needed by 2022 The £40M Institute of Coding aims to give the UK an edge in the global digital economy It will deliver industry-focused, innovative Higher Education across the UK The Open University (OU) has been announced as a major partner in the UK’s new £40 million Institute of […]

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