The Open University

Behind the scenes of the Parole Board

20 February 2023

Academics from the Faculty of Business and Law worked behind the scenes in a fascinating OU/BBC documentary about the process involved in hearing prisoners’ parole applications. In England and Wales annually, about 16,000 of the potentially most dangerous criminals are considered for parole before the end of their sentence and around 4,000 of them are […]

International researchers join forces to capture image of a giant planet

20 February 2023

Two international group of researchers, one including Dr Mariangela Bonavita of the OU, have used the SPHERE planet-finder at the Very Large Telescope in Chile to capture images of a giant (Jovian) planet. The images are featured today as “Picture of the Week” by the European Southern Observatory. The planet, that has a mass of about five […]

OU academics’ guidance in poignant BBC programme on autistic adults

15 February 2023

A new two-part BBC series Inside Our Autistic Minds has started giving a revealing look at what goes on in the mind of autistic adults with the help of naturalist Chris Packham who was diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2005. With the contributions of two OU academics, Kieron Sheehy, Professor of education, and Fiona Henry senior […]

Dungeons & Dragons licence changes threaten the fan community the game relies upon – legal expert explains

13 February 2023

Dr Kim Barker is a senior lecturer in law at The Open University specialising in internet law – particularly online games. Here she talks about the popular Dungeons & Dragons game and how its new licence is making major digital waves. Dungeons & Dragons has a longstanding appeal as a role-playing game – or as […]

The path of Plath: Sylvia’s work more enduring 60 years on from her death

10 February 2023

It’s 60 years since the celebrated poet Sylvia Plath died, yet her work has become more enduring with the passage of time. Here Dr Jane Yeh, a lecturer in creative writing at The Open University, and an accomplished poet herself, tells us why. Sylvia Plath is the poet people most are likely to have come […]

How the war in Ukraine is being fought

9 February 2023

Military historian and Cold War expert Dr David Grummitt is a Staff Tutor in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the OU. Here he shares his insight into how the war in Ukraine is being fought and its comparisons to the Cold War – the ‘conflict’ that never took place on the battlefield. […]

Artemis is a new body suit for period pain – here’s why it’s named after a Greek goddess

9 February 2023

Helen King, Professor Emerita of Classical Studies at The Open University, shares her knowledge of the Greek goddess Artemis whose name has been adopted by the makers of the latest garment used to ease period pain. A new body suit to control period pain is in the pipeline – and it’s called Artemis. Named after […]

Research discovers ‘forbidden’ ring of Solar System dwarf planet

8 February 2023

An international team of astronomers, including Open University (OU) researchers, has discovered a ring around the distant dwarf planet Quaoar – a ring that should not exist. This questions our understanding of collision processes leading to the formation of planetary bodies, as reported in the 9 February 2023 issue of Nature. Quaoar is an icy […]

‘There weren’t many women in the industry – I wanted to make a change’

6 February 2023

After leaving school, Phoebe, 21, chose to fast-track her IT career by starting a digital apprenticeship with The Open University while working at technology company RDT. Phoebe’s journey began with an interest in video gaming. Having completed A-Levels in maths, economics and history, she knew that a role in IT was the route she wanted […]

Looking back on three years of Brexit

3 February 2023

It’s three years since Brexit so we asked professor of foreign policy and international relations Jamie Gaskarth to look back to see what has been achieved. Before Brexit, Britain was in a uniquely favourable position in global terms. Its closest ally, the United States, was the most powerful military actor in the world. Britain was […]

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