The Open University

Scientists from the OU and Harvard publish new findings to help fight against skin cancer

4 August 2021

A new study by an international team of researchers, including academics from The Open University and Harvard University, has had its findings published in the journal Cell. They have presented the discovery of a new mechanism that can darken the colour of human skin as a natural defence against ultraviolet (UV)-associated cancers. Melanin, the dark […]

OU Law student Elizabeth smiling after prestigious prize win

OU Law student secures top prize on journey to becoming barrister

4 August 2021

After suffering a personal trauma, Open University (OU) Law student Elizabeth Hill, found solace in her studies and the inspiration for a new career. At 23, she’s now on a journey to becoming a Barrister and is driven to pursue a career at the Bar so she can advocate for others. On the back of […]

New OU/BBC show allows armchair “travelling” through literature

3 August 2021

Staycationing holidaymakers will have a chance to “travel” the globe in a new BBC and Open University (OU) co-production “Write Around the World with Richard E Grant” airing on TV this week. The three-part series, which airs on BBC Four from Tuesday, 3 August, at 9pm, sees thespian Grant charting the journeys of some well-loved […]

OU Law student Clara stands outside her home

‘I’ve turned my life around – now I’m helping others’

29 July 2021

Clara Collins, 21, is proof that it’s never too late to turn things around. After experiencing a disrupted education and spending time in care, Clara is now studying Law with The Open University (OU) and determined to use her skills to advocate for others. Clara shares how she now has the right support to change […]

Close-up of a golf ball and a man putting

OU research informs development of new golf athlete monitoring app

27 July 2021

Informed by Open University (OU) research, a new golf monitoring app has launched, which is designed to offer in-depth athlete analysis as well as research insight. The AMI Sports: Golf app enables golfers to track their training, practice, tournaments and daily wellness measures to provide insights to optimise their performance and reduce the risk of […]

World’s finest minds come together for new educational website

23 July 2021

An academic from The OU’s Institute of Educational Technology is among more than 150 of the world’s best minds chosen to record a series of conversations about their subjects for a new educational website called EXPeditions. Mike Sharples, Emeritus Professor of Educational Technology, is part of an international cast of doctors, professors, lecturers, lawyers and […]

New flexible learning route to becoming a Nursing Associate with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

22 July 2021

London residents can now take advantage of a new route into healthcare thanks to a partnership between The Open University and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – one of the country’s largest NHS Trusts. The London-based trust, together with the OU, is offering a Foundation Degree in Nursing Associate Practice, which is part-sponsored (the Trust […]

More secrets revealed at the museum

20 July 2021

Five-inch-tall little Tommy Tittlemouse is 111 years old and for 50 of those years he’s been on display and looked after by curators at the world-famous Victoria & Albert Museum. In the latest OU/BBC co-production and second series of Secrets of the Museum, we see the teddy bear undergoing a ‘condition check’ before being packed […]

Five ways emojis have reflected COVID culture

16 July 2021

Written by Dr Philip Seargeant, Senior Lecturer in Applied Statistics at The Open University. Over the past decade, emojis have become an integral part of the way we communicate, and have attracted attention from scholars in subjects ranging from linguistics to psychology. Just as the pandemic has impacted so many other parts of everyday life, […]

Hand choosing happy smile face paper cut

OU ranked third in National Student Survey

15 July 2021

The results of the National Student Survey (NSS) 2021, commissioned by the Office for Students (OfS) have been published, with The Open University (OU) ranking third amongst 174 participating degree-awarding universities. This is a significant improvement from 17th in 2019, when the university last met the threshold for publication of its results. The OU maintained […]

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