The Open University

Image shows Tim Blackman being presented with the Queen's Anniversary Prize by The Queen at Buckingham Palace

The Queen presents The Open University with Queen’s Anniversary Prize at Buckingham Palace

22 February 2024

The Open University has been presented with a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education by Her Majesty The Queen today at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace. It was announced in November that the OU had been awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its OpenSTEM Labs initiative – the highest national Honour in […]

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust: the cosmic fertiliser that fuelled the origins of life

19 February 2024

The origin of life is an event so rare that, to the best of our knowledge, it has only happened once: here on Earth. The questions of how life developed and in what environments geochemical reactions took place are fundamental questions that span the fields of astrobiology, organic chemistry, and geology. One key ingredient is […]

Top road safety figures are backing Open University-led research into the dangers of hands-free phone use while driving

16 February 2024

The UK’s roads policing lead and the CEO of The Road Safety Trust are supporting the findings of an Open University educational project highlighting to police that hands-free phone use while driving is no safe alternative to hand-held use. The project called “We need to talk about hands-free”, was funded by The Road Safety Trust, […]

OU space scientists awarded grant to investigate a Mars’ atmospheric mystery

16 February 2024

A new research grant awarded to scientists at The Open University (OU) will make it possible to investigate the long-standing mystery of ozone on Mars. The atmosphere of Mars, which is mostly made of carbon dioxide (CO2), has trace amounts of ozone present, at levels far lower than that found on Earth. A long-standing problem […]

Two OU/BBC co-productions win recognition at key film awards

14 February 2024

The Open University’s Broadcasts and Partnerships team is celebrating after two OU/BBC co-productions won accolades at the Broadcast Awards in the heart of London’s Mayfair recently. The event was staged at Park Lane’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House where it was revealed that ‘Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland’ and ‘Inside Our Autistic Minds’, won […]

OU/BBC documentary series Drugs Map of Britain returns with new episodes

14 February 2024

Four brand new episodes from series two of the hard-hitting OU/BBC series Drugs Map of Britain will air from Tuesday 13th February on BBC Three at 9pm. The series dives into the real world of drug users and dealers in the UK today, cutting through the headlines to lay bare the realities of British youth […]

Nature award for polar bear photo shows that images of these magnificent creatures still have the power to move people

14 February 2024

Sam Shaw, who is a lecturer in History of Art at The Open University, says he had ‘mixed feelings’ with the revelation that this polar bear picture won a nature award. Here he tells us of the ‘fascinating’ journey his research took him on in fathoming why these bears have come to illustrate the demise […]

New OU led films for BBC Morning Live

9 February 2024

The Open University (OU) have led on six films in partnership with the BBC for the popular BBC ONE show Morning Live. The films will explore a broad range of topics such as demystifying cognitive behavioural therapy and muscle loss and will feature on Morning Live which broadcasts daily from 09.30 on BBC One. The […]

Ministry of Justice film ‘Served’ featuring interview with OU academic wins award

7 February 2024

In just five months a film released only online about prisoners learning catering skills and featuring Open University history professor Rosalind Crone has gone on to gain over 106,000 views and collect a trade award. The film, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, shows how prisoners at HM Prison Lincoln learn new skills through training […]