The Open University

Five ways the OU’s new chatbot can support disabled students

29 January 2021

The process of disclosing a disability can be a time-consuming, stressful process, which the OU is aiming to improve with a chatbot to support both its students and staff. The OU’s chatbot, produced through the ADMINS Project, has been developed by educational experts, staff and students to improve disability disclosure processes for people with disabilities. […]

OU partners with BBC World Service on ambitious new radio series

19 January 2021

An ambitious radio series starts tomorrow (20 January) on BBC World Service. Co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s (OU) Broadcast and Partnerships team, Project 17 looks at the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals through the eyes of seventeen,17-year-olds from 17 different countries. Just over five years after the goals were created with […]

OU-funded research to tackle social isolation in hospice settings

12 January 2021

It’s no secret that Covid-19 is having a devastating impact on the lives of patients in care homes and hospices. The threat of the virus has forced providers to keep patients isolated from loved ones for their own safety, but this has led to a decline in mental health, an increase in anxiety and even […]

Coronavirus is no longer seen as high risk by many – and that’s undermining control measures

16 November 2020

Victoria Murphy, Postdoctoral Researcher in Professional Learning in Uncertainty at The Open University discusses why people are not following Coronavirus guidelines and what the implications are. During the era of US prohibition, illegal speakeasies thrived. And while the UK socially distances, there are similar reports of secret parties and raves today. Beyond such gatherings, there […]

Academic insight: Behind the mask

14 September 2020

This year has seen the world change in ways we never could have imagined: socially distancing from friends and loved ones, remote working implemented across the UK, washing and sanitising our hands for more than 20 seconds, and now wearing face coverings in supermarkets and shops. But how will this new measure affect the way […]

Paramedic Lyn shares her journey to becoming a non-medical prescriber

8 September 2020

As a qualified paramedic, the non-medical prescribing (NMP) programme has enabled Lyn to take on additional responsibilities in assessing and prescribing medication for patients within her role. Extending prescribing responsibilities to paramedics and other qualified healthcare professionals has benefits for both the NHS and service users, such as making better use of healthcare professionals’ skills […]

Academic insight: Will handwashing impact the development of early years?

3 September 2020

This week saw the return to school for many children in the UK. But, with COVID-19 still a widespread risk to our health, can handwashing be implemented in the routine of early years without disrupting their development? Dr Jackie Musgrave, Programme Leader in Early Childhood at The Open University shares her thoughts. I have to […]

OU partners with University of Oxford to improve support for older people with learning disabilities

1 September 2020

The Open University and The University of Oxford have been awarded £900,000 by the National Institute for Health (NIHR) to investigate how to improve support for older people with learning disabilities and their family carers. The project is funded through a specific call issued by the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme for […]

New OU apprenticeships to train Leeds nurses of the future

15 July 2020

The Open University has joined forces with Leeds Beckett University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to create a new gateway to a career in nursing. As part of the Trust’s Future You career development programme, a new apprenticeship route has been launched, providing both experienced and aspiring healthcare workers with the practical skills and […]

OU partners in innovative new blended nursing degree

9 July 2020

From February 2021 the Open University (OU) will be delivering a new blended nursing programme in the London and the South/South West region in partnership with Middlesex University, London and University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) (Subject to NMC Approval). It is anticipated that the application process for this new, innovative and exciting degree […]

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