The Open University

Education project transforms lives for girls and young women in Zimbabwe

16 August 2023

The Open University is one of six partners in a successful initiative that has supported the learning of more than 13,400 out-of-school adolescent girls in Zimbabwe. For the past five years the project has helped the girls, who are disproportionately affected by gender inequality, to improve their learning outcomes and assist their transition into formal […]

OU launches two free courses to improve the care of older people with learning disabilities

19 July 2023

The Open University has launched two free courses aimed at supporting professionals and families who care for older people with learning disabilities. Supporting older people with learning disabilities and their families and Caring for an older family member with learning disabilities have been developed using inclusive research overseen by Louise Wallace, Professor of Psychology and […]

More support is needed for families affected by parental imprisonment, according to a new study from The Open University and YSS.

18 July 2023

Families with children across the UK are missing out on vital support to help them cope with the impact caused by having a parent in prison, according to research from The Open University’s Children’s Research Centre and YSS. The two-year study funded by Worcestershire County Council, surveyed 68 families across the UK, to better understand […]

OU researchers launch new guide to support palliative and end of life care

13 July 2023

Researchers at The Open University have produced a new ‘Grab and Go Guide’ to help improve palliative and end of life care. The easy-to-follow guide draws from research into The Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care: a national framework for local action (2021-2026) and will enable those working in the sector to better […]

FIFA Safeguarding Diploma scores success

30 May 2023

The FIFA Guardians Safeguarding in Sport Diploma, which was developed with experts including academics from The Open University, to strengthen and professionalise safeguarding standards in football, is proving to be a soaring success with almost 90 learners from 70 countries attending the first ever in-person residential workshops. In a milestone moment for the programme, the […]

New research aims to revolutionise care for older people

17 May 2023

New research on social care and older people resulted in a toolkit designed by The Open University aimed at transforming the well-being of older people and staff in the care sector. It is based on an emerging understanding of ‘relational care’ an approach which represents a shift to a more multidirectional flow of care where […]

How to tackle diversity in social work courses in HEIs – academic comment

21 March 2023

Paulette Johnson is a social work academic and The Open University’s academic Lead for Access Participation and Success. Here she shares how the OU is tackling inclusivity within the sector from the inside out. As a former practising social worker, now academic helping to shape the lives of social-work students, I’ve spent 20 years gaining […]

OU/BBC co-production goes behind the scenes of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

28 February 2023

Saving Lives in Leeds, a new BBC documentary, produced with the support of two OU academics, features the challenging work of doctors and surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHT Trust. The eight-part series airs on Wednesday 1st March, 9pm on BBC Two and shows the tough dilemmas that doctors face each day behind the scenes, […]

OU academics’ guidance in poignant BBC programme on autistic adults

15 February 2023

A new two-part BBC series Inside Our Autistic Minds has started giving a revealing look at what goes on in the mind of autistic adults with the help of naturalist Chris Packham who was diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2005. With the contributions of two OU academics, Kieron Sheehy, Professor of education, and Fiona Henry senior […]

‘A special school’ airs on BBC Two, BBC Cymru Wales and iPlayer

18 January 2023

Two academics from The Open University used their specialist skills to advise the BBC programme makers on a second series of A Special School, which airs on BBC Two on 20th February at 7pm. The three-part series goes behind the scenes in a compelling observational documentary that shows what is possible when boundaries are pushed. […]

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