The Open University

Linda’s story: A non-traditional route to academia

22 November 2019

Linda, 62, is a PhD researcher at the OU. Following a successful career working with young people and sport, she’s turned to research. “I’ve not approached academia in a traditional way. I’m 62, so I’m ancient! I was secure within my professional world and don’t have the same confidence as an academic as I had […]

From the Iliad to Circe: culture’s enduring fascination with the myths of Troy

21 November 2019

Dr Jan Haywood, Staff Tutor and Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University writes for The Conversation about the legend of Troy. The story of the epic war fought over a woman has been told many times. It now lies at the heart of an exhibition at the British Museum opening on November 21. […]

BBC/ OU documentary wins Mind Media Award

21 November 2019

Actor, David Harewood has won a Mind Media Award for his work in David Harewood: Psychosis and Me, a co-produced documentary by the BBC and The Open University’s Broadcast and Partnerships team. The documentary, which aired in May, followed Harewood as he talked about the psychotic breakdown he had at 23 years-old. Piecing back together what […]

Titan: first global map uncovers secrets of a potentially habitable moon of Saturn

20 November 2019

David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at The Open University, writes for The Conversation about a potentially habitable moon of Saturn. There are just three moons in our solar system that measure more than 5,000km across. Of these, Jupiter’s moons Ganymede and Callisto are airless and have ancient heavily cratered surfaces. But Saturn’s largest moon, […]

OU researcher develops tech set to transform political debates

20 November 2019

An OU researcher has developed a new, innovative, digital platform to harness public engagement during televised election debates. Dr Anna De Liddo, Senior Research Fellow in the OU’s Knowledge Media Institute, created the audience feedback tool in collaboration with political scientists Professor Stephen Coleman and Dr Giles Moss, and typography researcher Paul Wilson from the […]

The Open University’s children’s rights report supports book by Amnesty International UK

19 November 2019

The Open University’s Children’s Research Centre (OUCRC) has launched a report ‘informed by children’ to mark the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The findings will support a book by Amnesty International UK (AIUK) to educate and empower children and young people. Following months of studies with […]

New degree of success for Olympic gold medallist!

18 November 2019

Canoe slalom gold medallist Etienne Stott looks back on “an incredibly big journey” as he received his OU degree in Psychology on stage in Milton Keynes. Etienne began studying with The Open University around the time of his selection for the London 2012 Olympics. He juggled his studies around training for the Games, where he […]

‘The need for education throughout life is more critical now than it has ever been’

18 November 2019

Today marks 100 years since the Ministry of Reconstruction’s adult education committee published its Report on Adult Education. The Centenary Commission on Adult Education 2019 has produced a new report, A Permanent National Necessity, that argues adult education and lifelong learning must be a permanent national necessity, an inseparable aspect of citizenship. This is vital […]

Open University scientists marvel at the rarity of the Mercury Transit

12 November 2019

Members of the Open University’s space science community gathered together to watch a one-off celestial event on Monday 11 November. Professor David Rothery and Jack Wright, research assistant, were joined by employees from across the campus to witness the Mercury Transit. For the first time in three years, planet Mercury was visible as it travelled […]

Man sitting on train looking out of the window

To say the OU changed my life is an understatement

11 November 2019

OU student David Breakspear had been in the criminal justice system since he was a child. Determined to break the cycle, he began studying during his sentence and is now an active and passionate campaigner for criminal justice and social reform, using his experiences to help inspire and educate others. As one of the speakers […]

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