The Open University

Five books about modern war

28 April 2025

As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to dominate the media, reports from the front lines show uncannily familiar scenes of soldiers living in trenches like their counterparts in the First World War. As stories of deals, betrayal and high politics lead the news agenda, it’s important to think about the human cost of conflict says […]

Retired sub-postmistress notches up her third degree

15 April 2025

At the age of 79 former sub-post mistress Pat Wetherell has proved that age is no bar to higher education since she recently donned graduation robes to collect her hard-earned MA in History from The Open University (OU). It’s the second OU degree the mother-of-two from Eston, Middlesbrough, has notched up, and her third degree […]

Five vampire books to read if you enjoyed the film Nosferatu

13 March 2025

Oscar-nominated film Nosferatu has rekindled the love of all things spooky in this new version of the 1922 classic that manages to mix elements of Frankenstein and The Exorcist (1973), deftly demonstrating that vampire films can go in new directions. So too can these five contemporary vampire novels, which play with conventions as well as […]

BBC’s Forensics: The Real CSI shows the specialised work of police and forensic teams investigating a violent crime

28 February 2025

The Open University has once again teamed up with the BBC for another episode of Forensics: The Real CSI that shows the work of police forensic teams investigating a woman’s death. The episode, titled ‘Murder in a Brothel’, airs at 9pm on Sunday, 2 March, on BBC Two and iPlayer, and will be available on […]

Russia’s militarisation of young Ukrainians risks long-term peace: academic comment

21 February 2025

While decisionmakers in Europe and the US wrestle with a roadmap to lasting peace in Ukraine an Open University academic says they need to understand the future threat posed by Russian militarisation of young people in occupied territories. As we approach the third anniversary of the war, Dr Precious Chatterje-Doody says Russia is attempting to […]

Five books to read if you love Nordic/Scandinavian noir

17 February 2025

You know the drill: In a cold and dark place, perhaps at the frontier of human civilisation, a murder has taken place. With fading light and a small community of suspects, our hero must find the killer before the community is driven apart by suspicion in these so-called Nordic-noir films. Samuel Sargeant, Lecturer in Creative […]

OU’s win for ‘Zelensky Story’ at prestigious Broadcast Awards gala event

8 February 2025

A three-part Open University/BBC documentary about Volodymyr Zelensky – comedian, actor and president – has won the Best Specialist Factual Programme category at the 2025 Broadast Awards. The powerful documentary featured interviews with his close friends, allies, wife Olena Zelenska, and, before the war, Zelensky in his previous entertainer role, interposed with Ukraine’s current reality […]

Five poetry books to inspire your winter wanderings

14 January 2025

Whether you love poetry or are new to it, dip into the collections suggested by Dr Wanda O’Connor, Lecturer and Staff Tutor in Creative Writing at The Open University. These books can help us explore the way we live and respond to nature, enhancing our walks and rest stops along the way. As poet Philip […]

An OU/BBC Radio series examines how the UK’s major issues could be rethought

14 January 2025

A new Open University/BBC radio series called Rethink examines the emerging issues in society, economics, technology and politics in relation to the UK’s standing in the world. Simon Usherwood, Professor of Politics and International Studies at the OU, is a consultant to the programme makers who show how we might approach those issues differently. The […]

BBC radio show shines a light on society’s deep thinkers

6 January 2025

Academics from wide-ranging disciplines at The Open University are involved in the new BBC Radio 4 series Human Intelligence that examines the intellectual characters and methods of significant thinkers. The programme airs today, Monday, 6 January at 1.45pm, when we hear novelist and science presenter Naomi Alderman dissecting the minds of outstanding thinkers from the […]

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