The Open University

Life-changing educational opportunity for disadvantaged students

14 April 2025

People from disadvantaged backgrounds have the chance to study for free at The Open University (OU), through an annual student scholarships programme now available for the eighth year running. Students for whom higher education once seemed out of reach are being given this opportunity thanks to donations to the Open Futures Fund, a bespoke programme […]

A young woman is pictured smiling with her husband and four children.

“I wanted to show my kids that there isn’t just one path to education,” says mum of four

14 April 2025

Ellie, 34 from Somerset, studied her BA (Honours) Arts and Humanities degree at The Open University (OU) alongside her busy life as a mum of four. What started as a route to a new career became a lifeline when her family were hit with challenging times. She not only gained a qualification but also a […]

Elijah Akinfenwa co-founder of Liz Pie Pastry

Applications open for fresh ideas and business creators

10 April 2025

The Open University’s support for entrepreneurs lifts off this month with the 2025 launch of its fund awarding grants towards setting up a business, open to students and alumni. Called the Open Business Creators Fund the initiative offers grants of up to £1500 to support OU students and alumni as they start and progress on […]

PhD grant boosts Open University cancer research

9 April 2025

The Open University’s partnership with Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) is taking an exciting step forward thanks to a new PhD studentship starting later this year. A grant from the Pet Plan Charitable Trust will enable a doctoral student to join the team and conduct in-depth research into how dogs identify colorectal cancer, using cutting-edge machine […]

New series of Saving Lives in Cardiff

9 April 2025

A new six-part series of the OU/BBC co-production, Saving Lives in Cardiff, airs today, 9 April, at 9pm on both BBC One Wales and BBC Two. The new series follows the daily decisions made by clinicians at the Cardiff and Vale University Hospitals, as they seek to transform the lives of their patients in South […]

Photo of the launch of the Minority Ethnic Leadership Programme. Photo: OU

Innovative programme aims to enable minority ethnic leaders to shine

7 April 2025

The Open University (OU) and the Henry Smith Charity have forged an exciting new partnership to help foster new business leaders of the future from Minority Ethnic backgrounds. The partnership is established with the OU’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL), one of the OU’s Business School’s centres of research excellence, which supports and initiates […]

5 easy habits for a longer, healthier, happier life: the OU announces national challenge empowering the UK to Age Well

7 April 2025

The Open University (OU) is launching a UK-wide month-long national challenge, similar to Dry January but for ageing well, Take Five to Age Well. As our Ambassador Professor Rose Anne Kenny demonstrates in her book Age Proof, research has shown that until we reach 80 years, 70-80% of ageing rate is largely determined by environmental […]

The Secret Genius of Modern Life returns for a new season

2 April 2025

Today (2 April) at 8pm, the OU / BBC series, The Secret Genius of Modern Life, returns with a third series. The fascinating programme unpacks the amazing science and mind-boggling innovation behind everyday objects. Professor Hannah Fry is our hammer-wielding, tech-savvy tour guide to the extraordinary stories behind everything from air fryers to roller coasters. […]

A young blonde woman, wearing a mortar board and holding a certificate, in front of a sea-view with mountains in the distance.

‘The OU allowed me to fit my studies in a schedule that worked for me,’ says busy working mum

1 April 2025

Rebecca, 37, from the Isle of Ulva in Scotland, always had an interest in higher education but didn’t want to leave the beloved island she calls home. It wasn’t until she was 27 and a busy working mum of two children that she discovered The Open University (OU). Through her BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and […]

OU apprenticeships instrumental in tech firm’s success

27 March 2025

An Open University degree apprenticeship partnership with an Oxfordshire firm has been one of the reasons web-tech company Olamalu gained a fistful of accolades for its apprenticeship offering to staff. Half the firm’s workforce have experienced apprenticeship training – two employees recently graduated from the OU’s Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Degree Apprenticeship and four […]

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