The Open University

Extensive approach to climate change education will prepare learners for the future

18 October 2021

Climate change study needs to be embedded in higher education at all levels to prepare learners for their roles in work and wider society, says a new paper co-authored by an OU Associate Lecturer. The bold, rapid action needed to tackle the climate and ecological crisis offers an unparalleled opportunity for higher education institutions, argues […]

Our sense of wellbeing has been in decline for years – here’s how to turn it around

18 October 2021

Written by Paul Anand, Professor of Economics at The Open University. People’s sense of wellbeing took a dive in the first year of the pandemic, according to new data published by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS). As lockdowns took effect and people grew fearful about the future, their life satisfaction fell by an average of […]

Floodplain Meadows Partnership art competition winners announced

15 October 2021

Alice Walker from Oxfordshire and Claire Cornish from Cumbria have been crowned the winners of the Floodplain Meadow arts and crafts competition. The winning pieces of art demonstrated the diverse role of floodplain meadows for biodiversity, flood water management, agriculture, and the importance of their preservation. Funded by the Morgan Family Bursary Fund and the […]

What’s wrong with talking about the menopause?

15 October 2021

An OU academic is highlighting the difficulties working women encounter on World Menopause Day since many must live with debilitating symptoms impacting their performance at work. “The change”, as it was quaintly referred to by a whispering post-war generation, was seldom talked about in the workplace. Although that’s all changing, there’s still more to be […]

Bird eggshell study highlights potential risk to nest environments due to climate change

13 October 2021

New research has revealed how the moisture-resistance of bird eggshells has evolved to thrive in different environments, suggesting that bird populations nesting in environments prone to climate change may be at risk when weather conditions undergo a period of intense and rapid change. The study was led by academics at Royal Holloway, University of London […]

Totem brings the messages of climate change on way to COP26

8 October 2021

A giant totem, bringing messages all the way from Mexico about climate change has been stopping off at sites en route, thanks to a collaboration with The Open University. The 4.5m high wooden structure drew onlookers’ attention in the forecourt at Milton Keynes Train Station, where it remained for four days. It made a further […]

Patrick Kielty and Philip O'Sullivan, Dragonfly TV

Kielty talks exclusively to OU on Irish documentary themes

8 October 2021

Broadcaster Patrick Kielty won plaudits for his reflections on the future for Northern Ireland in a recent BBC/OU co-production. Broadcast last month, Patrick Kielty: One Hundred Years of Union looked back on the 100th anniversary year of the creation of Northern Ireland in a very personal documentary. As well as considering the current unrest amid […]

Man and woman working at laptop in business attire

Business Barometer reveals skills shortages to be a long term strategic challenge for employers

7 October 2021

According to The Open University’s (OU) annual business report published (today) in partnership with the Institute of Directors, UK employers are facing a skills shortage when it comes to hiring specialist, entry level talent. The Open University’s annual Business Barometer 2021 report reveals 63% of organisation leaders are struggling with recruitment as candidates lack specialist […]

How nuclear energy can help make all UK electricity green by 2035

7 October 2021

Written by William Nuttall, Professor of Energy at The Open University. Boris Johnson is set to announce at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester that all of Britain’s electricity will come from renewable sources by 2035, according to a recent report in the Times.The government suspects that the British public – tired of petrol station queues […]

BepiColombo’s first close-up pictures from 200km above Mercury hint at answers to the planet’s secrets

4 October 2021

Written by David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at The Open University. The BepiColombo spacecraft – a joint project by the European and Japanese space agencies – swung by its destination planet Mercury in the early hours of October 2 2021. Passing within just 200km of the surface of Mercury, it sent back some spectacular pictures. For those […]

OU News