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News from The Open University

New Civic University Agreement to drive skills and innovation in Milton Keynes

New Civic University Agreement to drive skills and innovation in Milton Keynes

A new Civic University Agreement for Milton Keynes, backed by some of the city’s biggest and most innovative organisations, is set to drive skills growth and innovation across Milton Keynes. Led by The Open University, Cranfield University and Milton Keynes College, the agreement seeks to foster deeper collaboration between the signatory organisations for the benefit […]

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The Open University commits to White Ribbon accreditation to end violence against women and girls

The Open University commits to White Ribbon accreditation to end violence against women and girls

To mark White Ribbon Day on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, The Open University has committed to achieving White Ribbon accreditation. White Ribbon is the leading charity in England and Wales engaging men and boys to prevent men’s violence against women and girls.  Each year in the UK, 2 million […]

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Acclaimed playwright and screenwriter receives honorary doctorate from OU

Acclaimed playwright and screenwriter receives honorary doctorate from OU

The playwright and screenwriter, James Graham, has received an honorary doctorate from The Open University (OU). Graham is known for writing plays like Dear England, a story taking us to the heart of Gareth Southgate’s England men’s football team, and for screenplays like Sherwood, a gripping crime drama tapping into his own experiences of growing […]

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OU Creative Writing academics back initiatives supporting would-be authors

The Open University’s Creative Writing team has teamed up with a leading writers’ agency to offer new and upcoming authors a competitive edge in the tough world of novel writing. OU Creative Writing has joined forces with the Ruppin Agency and Writers & Artists to support writers with the re-launch – after 16 years – […]

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Chris McCausland - Seeing into the Future

Chris McCausland: Seeing into the Future

In this new OU/BBC documentary airing Sunday, 23rd November, at 8pm on BBC Two and iPlayer, comedian Chris McCausland is on a mission to discover the future of technology, and what it might hold for him personally. Chris was born with a degenerative eye condition, where he gradually lost his eyesight, and by his early […]

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OU winning team, pictured at the Times Higher Awards ceremony. Copyright OU.

OU wins International Collaboration of the Year

A project which supported the education of adolescent girls at greatest risk of exclusion in Zimbabwe, won International Collaboration of the Year category in the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2025.   The awards announced at Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday 13 November 2025, announced the OU-led SAGE programme in Zimbabwe (Supporting Adolescent Girls’ Education) […]

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OU launches wireless button allowing dogs to control household appliances

OU launches wireless button allowing dogs to control household appliances

A new wireless button designed for dogs to control appliances has launched thanks to research led by Professor Clara Mancini at The Open University’s Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) Laboratory. The Dogosophy Button allows dogs to switch home appliances on and off using a device tailored to their physical and sensory characteristics. Initially developed to support assistance […]

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The Open University welcomes Justice Committee report on ending the reoffending cycle

The Open University welcomes Justice Committee report on ending the reoffending cycle

The Open University, the largest provider of higher education in prisons in the UK, has today (Friday 14th November 2025) welcomed the report of the House of Commons Justice Select Committee ‘Ending the cycle of reoffending – rehabilitation in prisons’. The Committee’s report highlights the work of The Open University in providing higher education in […]

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aerial view of housing estate

How to make new housing estates work for the people who live there

The UK is grappling with a housing crisis, with a shortage of 2.5 million homes in England alone. To address this, the government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes by 2029 and 12 new towns before the next election. Building new homes, as part of small developments or in large new towns, is imperative for affordable and […]

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The Open University’s “Take Five to Age Well” Wins National Self Care Award 2025

The Open University’s “Take Five to Age Well” Wins National Self Care Award 2025

The Open University is celebrating national recognition after its Take Five to Age Well initiative was named winner of the 2025 Self Care Award by the Self-Care Forum. The award, announced ahead of National Self Care Week (17–23 November), recognises the project’s innovative approach to helping older adults build lasting healthy habits and fostering community […]

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