The Open University

Schools need to prepare today’s students to tackle global challenges

14 March 2019

Professor Peter Twinning, Professor of Education (Futures) at The Open University discusses why the UK’s school system needs to change. Traditional models of schooling are based on a desire for standardisation and compliance, for a mass of industrial age ‘production line’ workers (with the majority of the small number of leaders and thinkers coming from […]

OU/ BBC co-productions nominated for Learning on Screen Award

13 March 2019

The NHS: A People’s History and The Fires that Foretold Grenfell, co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s Broadcast and Partnerships team have been nominated for the 2019 Learning on Screen Broadcast Awards. The NHS: A People’s History Broadcast in Jul 2018, as part of the 70th Anniversary of the NHS, Alex Brooker told the […]

International Women’s Day – women of the OU

8 March 2019

To celebrate International Women’s Day (8 March), we’re shining a spotlight on the women that have made a significant impact to The Open University over the past 50 years. Jennie Lee Jennie Lee was a Scottish politician and Minister for the Arts in Harold Wilson’s government of 1964–1970. She played a leading role in creating the […]

The OU has the highest number of students declaring a mental health condition in the UK

7 March 2019

On University Mental Health Day (7 March), The Open University has announced that it has the highest number of students declaring a mental health condition across the UK (6,025), and that proportion has increased year-on-year over the past 10 years. As a proud supporter of University Mental Health Day, it’s essential that as the debate about […]

Meet the Expert: Martin Weller

4 March 2019

Last month, Martin Weller, Professor of Educational Technology at The Open University delivered his inaugural lecture to an audience of over 200. As part of the OU’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Martin examined the meaning of the term ‘open’ and considered what an ‘Open University’ would look like if we were to invent it now. Martin has […]

Report finds an urgent need for independent regulation of social media

18 February 2019

On Monday 18 February 2019, the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee published its long awaited final report on Disinformation and ‘fake news’. The report covered an enquiry that spanned 18 months, oral evidence from 73 witnesses including The Open University, over 4350 questions and a final ‘International Grand Committee’ meeting in November 2018. Its […]

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week

8 February 2019

Mental health problems affect 1 in 10 children and young people, with more than half (56%) saying that they worry ‘all the time’ about at least one thing to do with their school life, home life or themselves. As we mark Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (4-10 February), Dr Jackie Musgrave, Programme Leader for Early Childhood and Primary […]

Time to Talk Day – importance of friendship

6 February 2019

On the 7 February 2019, it’s Time to Talk Day – a day to encourage conversations about mental health and raise funds and awareness for charities, Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. Mental health affects one in four of us each year in the UK, with anxiety and depression being the most common problems. Even with so […]

How do junk food adverts affect your children? – new OpenLearn course gives us the facts

4 February 2019

The Open University has launched a free OpenLearn course, which explores children’s food, marketing, eating and health in the context of their rights. Children and young people: food and food marketing, asks what the factors are that influence the foods that children eat – is it children’s or parents’ choices? Family or cultural influences? Or the wider food […]

Wellbeing tips for 2019

15 January 2019

‘New year, new you’ has long been a motto for January, as we endeavour to cleanse ourselves after the indulgences of the festive season. Dr Mathijs Lucassen, Senior Lecturer in Mental Health and Dr Jitka Vseteckova, Senior Lecturer in Health, Wellbeing and Social Care at The Open University, talk us through their five top tips for […]

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