The Open University

OU launches Centre for the Study of Global Development

23 March 2022

The Open University (OU) has launched a new centre, which will aim to advance human wellbeing through global development research. The Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) will support researchers, practitioners, thought leaders and policy makers to share knowledge and research evidence. The centre will have five hubs – health and wellbeing; language […]

From Z to Q: when letters become political symbols

21 March 2022

Written by Philip Seargeant, Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at The Open University Painted on the side of tanks and emblazoned on the shirt of Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, the letter Z has come to represent support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has even been incorporated into the spelling of place names such as […]

“I poured my heart out onto the page writing about infertility for my Creative Writing MA”

21 March 2022

Samantha Holmes signed up for an MA in Creative Writing with The Open University as a distraction from the challenging IVF journey her and her husband were on. She used her writing to open up about their fertility battle, which she found cathartic, but which also raised awareness of infertility – a struggle faced by […]

OU and partners secure funding boost for pioneering space projects

18 March 2022

Three projects involving the OU’s space scientists will receive a quarter of the UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) latest investment in the British space industry. The UKSA announced the £500k funding during British Science Week (11-20 March). The OU projects are among 13 it is backing to “help pioneer new approaches to energy, communications and resources.” The […]

Ukraine explainer: Why RT has lost its UK licence

18 March 2022

As British media regulator Ofcom revokes the license of RT, the Russian international broadcaster, to broadcast in the UK, The Open University’s Dr Precious Chatterje-Doody, Lecturer in Politics and International Studies and a Russian media expert explains the decision. She outlines how the move comes after high-level political concerns over the network’s reporting of Russia’s […]

‘I just kept going, I didn’t want to quit’

16 March 2022

When it comes to helping her community, EAL Coordinator Mihaela Popa, 37, has been described as a ‘force of nature’. Despite battling COVID multiple times, even while pregnant, Mihaela won’t let anything get in the way of her dream teaching career. She shares how studying with The Open University is helping to make that dream […]

Head of OU lab wins prestigious international award for excellence

15 March 2022

The Head of the OU’s Laboratory Facilities, Julia Barkans, has won an international award in ‘Excellence in Lab Leadership’. Lab Manager’s Leadership Excellence Awards serve to recognise individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and management skills within their scientific organisations. The Leadership Excellence Awards programme was launched by Lab Manager in 2022. The competition invited industry […]

The rise and rise of independent wedding celebrants

14 March 2022

Research conducted by Dr Stephanie Pywell, a Senior Lecturer in Law at The Open University, found that more and more couples are seeking the expertise of independent wedding celebrants for unique ceremonies. Most engaged couples in England and Wales have to choose between a religious wedding and a secular ceremony conducted in the presence of […]

English Language and video game creator Faye studying

‘My first OU module inspired a video game’

14 March 2022

When Faye isn’t studying for her English Language degree with The Open University, she’s creating video games that celebrate her love of words. Faye shares how her first OU module material gave her the creative spark and confidence to take the plunge into the world of gaming. “I’m definitely a gamer girl,” said Faye, who […]

The OU academic breaking down barriers for visually impaired people in the creative industry

11 March 2022

Inclusivity driven OU academic, Dr Lisa Bowers, has discussed her collaboration MakeActive, an exploration into using touch in creative industries to aid blind or visually impaired people. As part of British Science Week, Dr Bowers and Dr Alastair Barrow, CEO and co-founder of Generic Robotics Ltd. will be presenting their project in an online discussion […]

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