The Open University

Double win for the OU at the Learning on Screen Awards

4 May 2022

The Open University has won two awards at the UK’s only celebration of film and media production in education. Established in 2005, the Learning on Screen Awards showcases the best in educational film and television. The OU has won two awards at this year’s event – the Broadcast Award for BBC/ OU co-production, Surrogates and the Educational […]

From the Invictus Games to a coaching career

20 April 2022

Former Royal Marine Peter Dunning was playing wheelchair rugby at the Invictus Games 2018 when a fellow UK Team member told him about The Open University’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF). He successfully applied and before he knew it, Peter was embarking on a BSc Sport, Fitness and Coaching degree – something which has always […]

OU part of £5.5m research portfolio to improve education tech in low and middle income countries

6 April 2022

The Open University (OU) has launched a study with global research partner, Edtech Hub, to investigate the impact of technology on teaching in Bangladesh. Part of EdTech’s first research portfolio, the OU’s 3Mpower is one of 13 projects, which represents the largest investment in primary research on EdTech’s use in low- and middle-income countries. In […]

“I’m using what I’ve learned every day of my working life”

3 April 2022

Dawn Stewart is deputy ward manager at a busy mental health facility in Cambridgeshire. Having already gained a Master’s degree with The Open University, Dawn recently returned, adding Non-Medical Prescribing to her OU qualifications. This time around, Dawn had more hurdles to overcome – continuing to study, work in nursing, and care for her children […]

OU launches Centre for the Study of Global Development

23 March 2022

The Open University (OU) has launched a new centre, which will aim to advance human wellbeing through global development research. The Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) will support researchers, practitioners, thought leaders and policy makers to share knowledge and research evidence. The centre will have five hubs – health and wellbeing; language […]

From Z to Q: when letters become political symbols

21 March 2022

Written by Philip Seargeant, Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at The Open University Painted on the side of tanks and emblazoned on the shirt of Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, the letter Z has come to represent support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has even been incorporated into the spelling of place names such as […]

‘I just kept going, I didn’t want to quit’

16 March 2022

When it comes to helping her community, EAL Coordinator Mihaela Popa, 37, has been described as a ‘force of nature’. Despite battling COVID multiple times, even while pregnant, Mihaela won’t let anything get in the way of her dream teaching career. She shares how studying with The Open University is helping to make that dream […]

OU student and food poverty campaigner Rachel

Confronting food poverty, one meal at a time

8 March 2022

When 39-year-old Rachel Bresnahan from Stockport isn’t studying towards her Open University BA (Hons) Degree in Youth Work, she’s out tackling food poverty in her local community. Here, she takes a brief pause to share her story. “I love my community,” says Rachel. “I grew up here in Cherry Tree, Romiley. As the council estate […]

OU/BBC co-pro reveals the fiercely competitive world of elite figure skating

3 February 2022

A fascinating look into the competitive world of figure skating comes to our screens this weekend, on the newly re-launched BBC Three. Freeze: Skating on the Edge, is an Open University/BBC co-production that follows young athletes from across Britain over the course of a year, as they battle through skate-offs, qualifiers and international competitions to […]

Sharlene celebrates her OU degree with her family

‘I channelled my own childhood trauma into a career helping other families’

3 January 2022

Sharlene Hill grew up in a challenging environment. Many years later when she became a mum herself, she was determined to build a better future for her family. Sharlene developed an interest in adverse childhood experiences and family structures, which sent her off on a volunteering and training journey. Fast forward to now and she’s […]

OU News