The Open University

Imperfect and absurd, the modern literary heroine is a woman of our times

15 March 2019

Sally O’Reilly, Lecturer in Creative Writing at The Open University discusses how the female characters in the books that we read are changing. The way women are portrayed is changing. In film, The Favourite has won numerous awards and features three women, variously wild and untameable, as joint protagonists. Other movies such as The Wife and Can You Ever Forgive Me? show older […]

Schools need to prepare today’s students to tackle global challenges

14 March 2019

Professor Peter Twinning, Professor of Education (Futures) at The Open University discusses why the UK’s school system needs to change. Traditional models of schooling are based on a desire for standardisation and compliance, for a mass of industrial age ‘production line’ workers (with the majority of the small number of leaders and thinkers coming from […]

BBC honours OU in 50th Anniversary celebrations

14 March 2019

In an inspiring address marking the OU’s 50th anniversary celebrations Tony Hall, director general of the BBC, and Martha Lane-Fox, Chancellor of The Open University hosted a special reception to celebrate the unique OU/BBC partnership, its achievements and the shared social mission of both National institutions. The Open University has always had an iconic place […]

OU/ BBC co-productions nominated for Learning on Screen Award

13 March 2019

The NHS: A People’s History and The Fires that Foretold Grenfell, co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s Broadcast and Partnerships team have been nominated for the 2019 Learning on Screen Broadcast Awards. The NHS: A People’s History Broadcast in Jul 2018, as part of the 70th Anniversary of the NHS, Alex Brooker told the […]

Proving you’re never too glamorous for Science

13 March 2019

Amy King has been a science enthusiast from a very young age. Her school told her that “science isn’t for girls”; she proved them wrong by achieving straight As at college. A university interviewer told her she was “too glamorous to be a scientist”. Since then, Amy has enrolled on a BSc in Natural Sciences […]

Photograph of a person with a notebook and laptop

“Lifelong learning needs to be more than just political rhetoric”

11 March 2019

Prime Minister Theresa May launched a review of post-18 education and funding at Derby College in February 2018. As adult education institutions in England await the publication of the Augar review, Professor Mary Kellett, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, reflects on the government’s commitment to support lifelong learning in a blog on the educational policy website, […]

Space know-how helping to “sniff out” salad freshness

11 March 2019

Open University scientists are part of a UK team developing new technology which will be able to “smell” when fruit or vegetables are going off. It’s hoped the test could potentially save tonnes of waste. According to the UK waste advisory body WRAP, 1.2million tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables are wasted each year. A UK-based […]

International Women’s Day – women of the OU

8 March 2019

To celebrate International Women’s Day (8 March), we’re shining a spotlight on the women that have made a significant impact to The Open University over the past 50 years. Jennie Lee Jennie Lee was a Scottish politician and Minister for the Arts in Harold Wilson’s government of 1964–1970. She played a leading role in creating the […]

The OU has the highest number of students declaring a mental health condition in the UK

7 March 2019

On University Mental Health Day (7 March), The Open University has announced that it has the highest number of students declaring a mental health condition across the UK (6,025), and that proportion has increased year-on-year over the past 10 years. As a proud supporter of University Mental Health Day, it’s essential that as the debate about […]

Keep reading to children into their teenage years, urge experts

5 March 2019

Only 32% of British children under 13 are read to daily by an adult, for pleasure, down 9% since 2012, according to the annual reading habits survey by Nielsen Book Research. The research also reveals that most parents stop reading to their child by the age of eight. Teresa Cremin, Professor of Literacy and a […]

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