The Open University

Veganism has always been more about living an ethical life than just avoiding meat and dairy

7 January 2020

Dr Matthew Cole, Lecturer in Criminology at The Open University joins Dr Kate Stewart from Nottingham Trent University to write for The Conversation about the origins of Veganism being more than just diet. “Ethical veganism” has been ruled to be a philosophical belief in the UK in an employment tribunal. During a case brought by […]

Sixty years ago: Stuart Hall arrives to renew the Left

3 January 2020

Alan Shipman looks back to 1960 when the late Stuart Hall (former Professor of Sociology at the OU) first emerged as a leading Left thinker and pioneering social scientist. January 1960 began with a fresh challenge for Stuart Hall, a young teacher from Jamaica still adjusting to London life after finishing his English Literature studies. […]

I never believed I could get a degree, let alone end up in my dream job!

2 January 2020

Teaching had always been Emma’s dream but when her teachers at school flagged that she might be dyslexic she feared her ambition was out of reach. However, with the help of The Open University and a bucket load of determination, Emma has finally achieved her goal and starts a job as a newly qualified teacher […]

“The OU gave me the tools to go out and make a difference”

1 January 2020

Bradley Neal always had an interest in the natural world and a concern with what was happening to the planet so he decided he was going to try and make a difference, starting with educating himself on the environment and the issues affecting it. “I have a passion for the natural world. The decline in […]

Cindy’s story: “Anything is possible”

28 December 2019

In 2003, Cindy Vanstone’s world was turned upside down. Her son was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and needed care around the clock, causing Cindy to give up work and care for him full-time. “Before then, my life would have been considered pretty normal,” says Cindy. “I had a good job in finance, a beautiful daughter and […]

No Brexit boost for affordable housing

28 December 2019

The Open University’s Alan Shipman, Lecturer in Economics, takes a look ahead to how the housing market will fare in the coming year. House price forecasts remain relatively optimistic for 2020, for those who regard their four walls as an investment and not just a place to live. After an average increase of just 0.7% […]

“The OU changed my career prospects” Gary shares his story

27 December 2019

At the age of 14, Gary Steel left school to care for his mum. His education had been severely impacted by his caring responsibilities and despite being capable, he left school with no qualifications and entered the job market. A few years later he had the opportunity to attend a lecture with his partner who […]

Bargain hunters: how shops make us buy

27 December 2019

The post-Christmas sales are in full swing but how do shops persuade us to spend? Have some fund finding out more about what shops do to make us buy with the interactive tool below developed by our sociologists. And if you’ve enjoyed eating your way through the Christmas holidays and and want to know more […]

My OU journey has been life altering

26 December 2019

As Justine Wilkes-Kendall crossed the stage at the Barbican degree ceremony, she was proudly proving wrong the words of her social worker many years before who told her that as someone who’d been in the care system, she was “statistically more likely to go to prison than to university”. “These words really stuck with me […]

OU researchers make new discoveries set to reveal the geology of planets outside our Solar System

23 December 2019

Three OU astronomers today announce ground-breaking discoveries allowing scientists to understand planets outside our Solar System. Professor Carole Haswell, Dr Daniel Staab and Dr John Barnes discovered three, new, nearby planetary systems. Research led by Professor Haswell found the exoplanets – planets outside the Solar System – as part of the Dispersed Matter Planet Project […]

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