The Open University

OU honours leading science educator for widening participation in space science

22 September 2017

Science writer and educator, Emily Lakdawalla, has been awarded an honorary degree in recognition of her contributions to planetary and space science communication. The OU presented Emily Lakdawalla with a Doctor of the University at its recent Barbican Degree Ceremony. Senior Editor of The Planetary Society, Emily is respected internationally as a passionate advocate for […]

Extending our reach – how validation helps more people gain degrees

22 September 2017

The role of universities in validating degrees – rubber stamping degrees which are achieved at a different college or institution – will be more important than ever in the emerging Higher Education landscape. So says Phil Berry, Director, OU Validation Partnerships, who reflects on the place of validation in UK universities. Writing on the HE […]

Mexico Earthquake: Expert reaction

20 September 2017

Prof David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences, The Open University, said: “The epicentre of yesterday’s magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Mexico was about 500 km from the magnitude 8.1 quake of 8 September. There is no direct connection between the two, although they are both consequences of the convergence of the Pacific floor (here belonging to […]

The Detectives: Murder on the Streets

19 September 2017

The chilling BBC/OU Co-production The Detectives: Murder on the Streets returns for a second series this autumn, following Manchester’s homicide detectives as they work to unravel complex murder cases. With unparalleled and intimate access, this four-part series follows the Manchester team over the course of a year as they try to crack complex cases in real time. Open University […]

Cassini crashes: it’s time for a new mission to explore the possibility of life on Saturn’s moons

15 September 2017

NASA’s Cassini mission has made its “death plunge” into the swirling clouds of Saturn after 20 years of exploring the planet and its moons. It’s been amazingly successful, making headlines with groundbreaking discoveries throughout its journey. But today the headlines are more like obituary notices, looking back at the mission’s spectacular achievements. Cassini discovered new […]

Top 9 tips for saving for your pension

15 September 2017

Pensions are always the hot topic among learners on the OU’s hugely popular free OpenLearn and FutureLearn courses, Managing My Money and Managing My Investments. They are also core in our seminal undergraduate course, DB123 You and Your Money, that aims to raise students’ own financial capability. Research by senior lecturer in economics and personal […]

OU and National Extension College campaign to widen access to Higher Education

14 September 2017

The OU and National Extension College (NEC) are launching a joint campaign to improve the life chances of those from low income groups or without previous qualifications through distance and lifelong learning. In response to a 50% decline in the number of students aged over 21 entering into Higher Education in the last ten […]

There has been a massive drop in the number of mature students studying at UK universities

13 September 2017

If you step on to a university campus in any town or city across the UK, chances are that most of the students you will see will all be of a similar age. Yes, there may be the odd “mature student”, but for the most part, a lot of the students look to be in […]

Does poor spelling really mean Donald Trump isn’t fit to be president?

12 September 2017

In the aftermath of a controversial clash of protests in Boston, Donald Trump sent out a tweet about the need to heal the nation – managing in the process to misspell the word “heal”. He then quickly deleted the tweet, resent it with the same mistake, deleted the second attempt, until finally getting it right […]

English in Action wins top award for innovation in international education

11 September 2017

The OU’s English in Action project has won the award for progressive education delivery at this year’s PIEoneer Awards. The Awards, which took place in London on 8 September 2017, celebrate the most innovative work being done across the international education sector. Matthew Foster, director of the International Development Office at the OU says: We […]

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