The Open University

Does air pollution increase the risk of stillbirth?

26 May 2016

New research suggests pregnant women exposed to air pollution – like car emissions or industrial waste fumes – could face an increased risk of stillbirth. But an Open University statistics expert says that’s not necessarily the case. “I don’t think these new findings should be a serious cause for concern for individual pregnant women – if […]

Britain for sale? OU academics contribute to foreign ownership debate

24 May 2016

Do ‘clever financing arrangements’ benefit UK citizens or the private sector? Two OU academics comment on a new report which looks at pros and cons of foreign investment in the UK. Dr Michael Pryke and Professor John Allen have contributed to a Smith Institute report, ‘Britain for Sale?’, released on 23rd May, which examines the […]

Solar storms could solve longstanding paradox of how life on Earth arose

24 May 2016

It was only a matter of 700 million years or so after Earth formed and its surface cooled and solidified that life began to flourish on Earth. All studies suggest that life requires water – and we know from rocks on Earth that the climate in this distant past was sufficiently warm for liquid water […]

What does the UN want to achieve from the first World Humanitarian Summit?

23 May 2016

In 2016, nearly one in five of the 7.4 billion people on our planet live in fragile situations. This represents the highest level of suffering since World War II – and numbers are set to increase as conflict, violent extremism and natural disasters continue to cause massive global disruption. In response to the escalating crisis […]

Advance preview: Scientific telescope aims to be a blockbuster

23 May 2016

The world’s astronomers – including scientists from the OU – are creating a telescope which they hope will uncover the mysteries of space. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will be the world’s largest digital camera and is expected to capture the biggest and best images from the universe for all to see. The OU is among a […]

‘It’s crucial’: 6 reasons why you should embrace learning at work

19 May 2016

Combining the ability to learn and work has been a positive – and in some cases life-changing – experience for many Open University students. We asked these OU graduates to explain why ‘learning while earning’ has worked for them… 1) You already have the perfect study space – your office! Rob Clark graduated with a MSc in […]

Who Really Rules Us? Programme ponders the EU question

18 May 2016

Presenter Jeremy Paxman will take TV viewers on a journey to the heart of the European Union in a one-off hour-long programme co-produced by BBC and The Open University. Called Paxman in Brussels: Who Really Rules Us? it will ask, quite simply: Have we handed over the power to rule the UK to Europe? And if […]

Legal aid cuts prevent the police from being held accountable for their actions

18 May 2016

Who holds the police to account for their actions? Is it just institutions, such as the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the elected police and crime commissioners, and the forces’ disciplinary procedures? Something that’s often forgotten is the essential role played by lawyers as they try to obtain justice for the individuals who have been wronged […]

From left are John Addy, John D’Arcy, Sheila Coleman and Heather Laird.

Hillsborough justice campaigner honoured by OU

17 May 2016

Sheila Coleman, a leading member of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from The Open University. The honour comes shortly after an inquest into the disaster concluded that the 96 fans who died as a result of a crush in 1989 were unlawfully killed. Recognised by the university for her contribution […]

OU welcomes HE White Paper

16 May 2016

More degree awarding powers to new universities, recognising teaching quality and widening participation to HE was the rallying cry from Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science in England, in the HE White Paper that promises to increase choice for students and promote social mobility. Published today (16 May) Success as a Knowledge Economy: […]

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