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News from The Open University

Sunak’s first major foreign policy speech “worryingly divorced from reality”, says OU academic

An OU academic has criticised the Prime Minister’s foreign policy speech at London’s Guildhall delivered recently. Professor Jamie Gaskarth, Professor of foreign policy and international relations, says there was no mention of the economic crisis the UK is facing; no recognition that the aid budget has been gutted and that proposed increases in defence will […]

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Fossil fuels vs green energy

Our US$10 trillion global energy bill dwarfs what’s needed to limit global heating

Stephen Peake is a Professor of Climate Change and Energy. Here he talks about the world’s addiction to energy, our wasteful use of it and how we can do something about it. The world’s energy bill for 2022 is set to be the highest ever, topping US$10 trillion (£8.3 trillion). This is the total price […]

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OU Disabled Veterans' Scholarship recipient Steven shares how studying has turned his life around

‘My scholarship was life-changing and life-saving’

A military veteran who was badly injured during a rescue mission shares how education has helped him turn his life around. Steven Wilson, 46, from Dumfries, served as a Private in the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment (1 Para) and put his life on the line rescuing hostages in a top-secret mission. It was during the […]

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Berrill Building on the OU campus

A statement from The Open University

The Open University plays a unique role in higher education. Our model of supported open learning has created opportunities for millions of people to learn new knowledge and skills, overcome disadvantage and achieve success in their personal and career goals, often while working and bringing up a family. We provide among the most affordable higher […]

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NASA’s JWST reveals an exoplanet atmosphere as never seen before

NASA’s JWST reveals an exoplanet atmosphere as never seen before

Nasa’s JWST just scored another first: a molecular and chemical profile of a distant world’s skies secured by research from experts including Dr Joanna Barstow and Agnibha Banerjee from The Open University. While JWST and other space telescopes previously have revealed isolated ingredients of the planet WASP-39b’s atmosphere, the new readings provide a full menu […]

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Female nurse pushing a patient in a wheelchair

Two-thirds of respondents claim enquiry-based learning helps their nursing practice, new OU report finds

The Open University (OU) has released a new report in partnership with National Health Executive, which looks at the use of Enquiry-based learning (EBL) within nurse education. The innovative teaching style closes the theory-practice gap; a crucial step in the nursing profession. The report, Enquiry-based learning: Transforming nurse education explores the feedback from recent OU nursing […]

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Landmark exhibition on the history of Chinese communities in Britain opens at the British Library

Landmark exhibition on the history of Chinese communities in Britain opens at the British Library

A fascinating exhibition, co-curated by an OU academic, that celebrates 300 years of the history of Chinese communities living in Britain has opened at the British Library in London. Chinese and British runs until 23 April next year and was put together by Dr Alex Tickell, Senior Lecturer in English at the OU, and Dr Lucienne […]

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Ancient rivers increase chances of finding life at next Mars rover’s landing site

Ancient rivers increase chances of finding life at next Mars rover’s landing site

Rivers as wide as 600 metres once lay across the surface of Mars – according to new research from Birkbeck, University of London; The Open University; The Natural History Museum; Imperial College London; and the University of Bern. The research team say this discovery is important because these are some of the oldest rivers in […]

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Open University MBA graduate Tillmann

‘The OU MBA paved the way for my career success’

Tillmann Henssler from Germany says The Open University has created so many opportunities in his award-winning career at pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer. “The MBA at the OU was one the best things I have done in my life,” says Tillmann, now 55 and living in Berlin. “I started studying while working as a junior manager. After […]

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The good the bad and the ugly of the Autumn Statement

The good the bad and the ugly of the Autumn Statement

By Jonquil Lowe, Senior Economics lecturer, personal finance Leaks in the run-up to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement primed us all to expect the worst, but his announcement was surprisingly upbeat. It included: Spending increases to protect public services Further help for all with energy costs, a repeat next year of targeted cost-of-living support And assurances […]

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