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News from The Open University

Vice-chancellors from the participating universities at the event in Westminster, including the OU's Vice-Chancellor Professor Dave Phoenix (centre)

New collaborative of research-focused universities launches to give voice to critical research and innovation drivers

A new national collaborative comprising 10 leading research-focused universities – ResearchPlus – was formally launched on Tuesday 28 October at a special Parliamentary event in Westminster.  ResearchPlus seeks to give a collective voice and advance the social and economic contribution of research-focused universities that constitute a critical element of the UK’s research and innovation system […]

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Pivotal moment for humanity as global tipping points edge closer to irreversible change

Pivotal moment for humanity as global tipping points edge closer to irreversible change

Global warming of around 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels is pushing several critical parts of the Earth’s climate system towards or beyond irreversible thresholds, according to the newly published Global Tipping Points Report 2025. Dr Ivan Sudakow, Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at The Open University, is among 160 authors from 87 institutions who contributed to the […]

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Representatives from The Arab Open University with OU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Josie Fraser (copyright OU)

The OU and The Arab Open University strengthen partnership

The Open University (the OU) recently hosted its educational partner, The Arab Open University (the AOU) at the OU’s campus in Milton Keynes. The visit provided the opportunity for discussions on a diverse range of educational synergies between the institutions. The OU currently validates 13 AOU programmes in business, computing, education and language studies, all […]

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Discover the human side of space exploration in new OU / BBC programme

Discover the human side of space exploration in new OU / BBC programme

From Monday 27 October a new four-part part OU/BBC series, Once Upon a Time in Space, begins on BBC Two and iPlayer at 9.00pm. In this series, we hear the remarkable, unusual and sometimes moving history of humans in space and consider what the consequences are for the future of humankind. Told by the people […]

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The Open University is honoured at Open Education Global Awards 2025

The Open University is honoured at Open Education Global Awards 2025

The Open University has been honoured at the OEGlobal 2025 awards in the Open Practice Category for the CONNECT – CARE-KNOW-DO framework, which enhances student engagement by integrating science learning with real-world problem-solving. The award reviewers said CONNECT represents transformative practice:  “The CARE-KNOW-DO Open Pedagogy Model is a truly exemplary project with significant, proven impact from […]

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From monkey glands to ‘young blood’: the long, strange history of chasing immortality through transplants

From monkey glands to ‘young blood’: the long, strange history of chasing immortality through transplants

When Russian president Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in September 2025, he told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that repeated organ transplants might make a person “get younger” and even live to 150, says Dan Stratton, Lecturer Biomedical Health Science, The Open University. The remark was widely dismissed as science fiction. Yet it coincided with genuine scientific progress. […]

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Five contemporary haunted house books that will have you calling for an exorcist

Five contemporary haunted house books that will have you calling for an exorcist

It’s the creepiest time of the year again, as the nights draw in, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a spooky read. Here are some suggestions from The Open University’s Jennie Owen, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing. These suggestions, all from the past five years, include some unexpected takes on the haunted house novel. […]

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Promotion for Brighter Futures Fund (copyright Santander Universities)

Ten students can win a £1,000 financial boost thanks to Santander Universities

The Open University has once again teamed up with Santander Universities to offer students help with their finances through the academic year. Thanks to Santander Universities, 10 lucky students will get the chance to win £1,000 cash in a free draw. All OU students are eligible to enter. Just sign up via the Santander Open Academy. […]

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Open University Campus in Milton Keynes

The Open University and NatWest Launch ‘Open Business Creators Fund’ to Empower Women Entrepreneurs Across the UK

The Open University, in partnership with NatWest and the Department for Work and Pensions, proudly announces the return of the Open Business Creators Fund, a transformative funding competition designed to support people from marginalised groups at the idea or early stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Launched on Monday 13th October in a video by Baroness […]

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Hamza Yassin ©BBC/Silverback Films/Ellie Hilton

Lights, camera, wildlife! It’s Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles

Britain is a treasure trove of natural history, some of it hiding in plain sight. Now a brand new series, Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles, starts at 6.15pm on Sunday 12th October on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer aiming to uncover just a few of those wildlife wonders lying right under our noses. Behind the lens is […]

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