The Open University

Members of Open University staff holding up course books

OU awards for excellence in teaching and learning

29 April 2016

For more than 15 years The Open University has recognised and rewarded exceptional achievement in teaching and learning. Under the theme of Learning Now for the Future, the staff awards focus on innovation, promoting equality, supporting students, learning and teaching design, and developing students’ academic and learning skills. Each year, nominations are invited from across […]

Edinburgh city, Scotland. Image credit: Thinkstock

Opinion: OU nation director on Scottish Parliamentary election

29 April 2016

From the OU in Scotland… The second opinion piece in our series of three from OU nation directors sees The Open University in Scotland‘s Susan Stewart sharing her views on next week’s Scottish Parliamentary elections (May 5th) while taking stock of education policy in Scotland… With all of the party manifestos published and the Scottish Parliamentary election […]

Cardiff Bay in Wales. Image credit: Thinstock

Opinion: OU Nation director on Welsh Assembly election

28 April 2016

The UK goes to the polls on May 5th in the biggest set of elections outside a General Election in some time. As well as local council elections in England, Mayor of London election, London Assembly and the police and crime commissioner elections, the polls will also open for the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament and […]

Open University looks to the future as it celebrates 47 years of transforming lives

26 April 2016

The Vice-Chancellor of The Open University (OU) has called on the organisation to draw inspiration from its “glorious” past as it marks the 47th anniversary of receiving its Royal Charter. A series of special events have been taking place across the OU, including keynote speeches from Peter Horrocks, as well as the University’s Pro-Chancellor, Richard Gillingwater. The […]

Self-improvement through reading: gospel or a tall tale?

23 April 2016

The idea that reading contributes to our self-improvement is so embedded in our culture that we rarely stop to consider it. Edmund King, a Research Associate at The Open University (OU) and one of the lead academics on the Reading Experience Database (RED), examines the experience of readers over a period of a century and asks whether […]

green landscape coming out of the pages of a book

11 tips to help you read outside your comfort zone

23 April 2016

Is your bedside table stacked with crime thrillers, romantic novels or dystopian literature? Never tend to mix your genres, safe in the knowledge that you like what you read? Perhaps you’re missing out, says the OU’s Dr Alex Hobbs, a tutor in the Faculty of Arts. Here she shares her top 10 tips for expanding […]

Dame Judy Dench performance on Shakespeare Live!

For one night only: Shakespeare Live!

22 April 2016

A once-in-a-lifetime cast of actors and musicians will perform in front of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of the greatest playwright in history. Shakespeare Live! From the RSC, an OU/BBC co-production in partnership with the RSC, will be broadcast on Saturday 23 April […]

OU tops list of employer-sponsored degree providers

21 April 2016

The Open University has topped a table of providers of employer-sponsored degrees in a new report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). The report – Making a Success of Employer Education – was written by the Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University (LSBU), Professor David Phoenix, and looks at the benefit of employer-sponsored […]

How does the language you use affect others?

19 April 2016

Stress – the focus of Mental Health Awareness Week – is a key factor in mental health, including anxiety and depression. How we talk about depression can have unintended consequences, says Dr Zsofia Demjen, a lecturer in English language and applied linguistics. Using phrases like “I’m so depressed” runs the risk of normalising serious issues […]

Ecuador and Japan earthquakes: Expert Comment

18 April 2016

Earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador have resulted in widespread destruction and many deaths. David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Sciences at The Open University, says that Ecuador’s earthquake at its underground source was about 6 times stronger than in the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in southern Japan, and the total energy involved was probably about 20 times greater. […]

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