The Open University

Professor Joyce Tait appointed to the Council for Science and Technology

11 September 2017

Professor Joyce Tait has been appointed to the Council for Science and Technology, which advises the Prime Minister on science and technology policy issues that cut across the responsibilities of individual government departments. Joyce, one of five new appointments to the Council, is the Director of the Innogen Institute based at The Open University (in […]

Low skilled workers can’t move up the career ladder

7 September 2017

New market research on skills commissioned by the OU has found that the vast majority of people in low and semi-skilled work are not getting the training and opportunities they need to move up the career ladder. The online survey of 4000 UK adults found that of the 42% that described themselves as ‘Not In Skilled Employment’ (NISKE), […]

Times Higher Education Awards 2017 - banner on website

OU shortlisted for three Times Higher Education Awards 2017

7 September 2017

The OU has been shortlisted for three prestigious awards for its innovation in teaching and research impact, with The Open University Business School (OUBS) also in the running for ‘Business School of the Year 2017’. Recognised as the ‘Oscars of Higher Education’, the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards celebrate the dedication, innovation, and talent of individuals […]

Brutality of British immigration detention system laid bare

5 September 2017

An exposé of an immigration removal centre has uncovered shocking levels of violence and abuse directed at detainees awaiting potential deportation from the UK. While some staff at the Brook House centre for men near Gatwick Airport, run by the company G4S, tried to control the “chaos”, others were clearly seen mocking and assaulting detainees. […]

Innovative teaching at the OU recognised at prestigious international awards ceremony

5 September 2017

The team behind the OU’s innovative approach teaching has been recognised at the Higher Education Academy’s (HEA) inaugural Global Teaching Excellence Awards (GTEA). The team, led by Professor Hazel Rymer, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Learning and Teaching Innovation at the OU, was shortlisted from a 27-strong field of universities from around the world. Professor Rymer said the pioneering […]

Milton Keynes is bidding to be 2023 Capital of Culture – it should be taken seriously

1 September 2017

The British city of Milton Keynes is probably not the most obvious contender for the title of 2023 European Capital of Culture. It hasn’t exactly got a reputation for being a cultural hot spot: jokes about the blandness of Milton Keynes are entrenched in the popular imagination. In his travel notes, popular writer Bill Bryson’s […]

How vanishing debt costs helped the UK forget about a never-ending deficit

1 September 2017

When the UK government found £1 billion for Northern Ireland to secure Democratic Unionist parliamentary support, critics accused it of turning to the same “magic money tree” it had previously mocked others for believing in. But it may just be that the tree is flourishing in plain sight. UK national debt is currently issued at […]

The Docklands Light Railway: 30 years of revolutionary transport

31 August 2017

On the 30th anniversary of the Docklands Light Railway, Emeritus Professor of Transport Strategy, Stephen Potter, considers the history and impact of one of the busiest transport systems in the UK. In 2016 – 17, 122.3 million journeys were made on the DLR. To put this into context, the next busiest light rail system, […]

Volcanic emissions caused the warmest period in past 56m years – new study

31 August 2017

To predict what type of Earth lies ahead of us, we scientists usually turn to complex computer simulations. But how can we test whether these models are remotely accurate? Perhaps the best solution is to turn to instances in the geological past when Earth’s climate experienced similarly rapid warming. One such event is the Palaeocene-Eocene […]

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teenagers at much greater risk of depression

30 August 2017

Adolescence can be tough for young people, but it can be especially hard for teenagers who aren’t straight. Our latest study reveals that lesbian, gay and bisexual young people (LGB or “sexual minority youth”) have about three times the risk of being depressed compared with their heterosexual peers. Our results are based on a meta-analysis […]

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