The Open University

OU and FutureLearn link with Google to help build workforce of the future

4 December 2018

The Open University (OU) and its partner FutureLearn, the online social learning platform has partnered with Google to launch a bite-sized work-related course on Google Digital Garage. FutureLearn, which is committed to transforming access to education on a global scale, and the OU have teamed up with Google to launch the ‘Effective Networking‘ course. The launch of […]

Civil marriage and religious vows – new study calls for flexibility

4 December 2018

With the law currently forbidding the use of religious elements in civil marriage, Dr Stephanie Pywell, Senior Lecturer at The Open University and Professor Rebecca Probert, Professor of Law at The University of Exeter have worked closely with registrars to call for a reform to allow more flexibility. Working with registrars Stephanie and Rebecca’s research is […]

Do you hit snooze? OU academic uncovers our sleep patterns

3 December 2018

There’s more to a good night’s sleep than we might think, suggests Dr Paul Kelley, who has created a public research project to open our eyes to our chronotype – our natural sleep pattern. If you’re prone to sleeping on the job, it could be you’re going against your chronotype. Changing your work/study hours might […]

Food banks in demand as pensioners highlighted as one of the most vulnerable age groups

29 November 2018

Britain’s largest food bank, The Trussell Trust has reported that it provided almost 160,000 three-day emergency supplies in December last year, a 49% increase on the monthly average. As this winter looks to be another busy year for food banks across the country, Dr Aravinda Meera Guntupalli, Senior Lecturer in Public Health at The Open University, […]

Champion for mid-life working women recognised with award

28 November 2018

Professor Jo Brewis (pictured on the left, with Dame Cilla Snowball, chair of the Women’s Business Council) has been awarded the Staying On Award 2018 by the Women’s Business Council, which is a business-led initiative to advise on how women’s contribution to economic growth can be optimised. Recognised for her work in raising the profile […]

OU predicts increase in lifelong learning in Middle East and North Africa

28 November 2018

An OU report has identified a significant increase in online learning in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) over the next 10 years. Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Professor of Learning Technology and Communication, and Giles Mohan, Professor of International Development, directed a research project to better understand the potential of and hindrances to, online learning in […]

Can culture help resolve conflict?

26 November 2018

A new research report by The Open University with the Hertie School of Governance (Berlin) says that under certain conditions, cultural activities contribute to reducing conflict and strengthening civil society. Examining international cultural projects in Egypt and Ukraine, Professor Marie Gillespie and her research team had full access to the workings of the British Council […]

Regenerating Seaside Towns – why part-time study could be an answer

22 November 2018

The regeneration of seaside areas has been under debate in Westminster, with one topic of focus being access to education for those in coastal communities. Some seaside areas are a long way from a conventional university, and The Open University has traditionally helped many people in these communities gain a degree through flexible part-time distance […]

“Passionate about caring for people” – meet our Trainee Nursing Associates

20 November 2018

This autumn, seven healthcare assistants at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn (Norfolk) have embarked on an exciting new two-year apprenticeship programme via the OU. The Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) programme is part of a national initiative to help bridge the gap between healthcare assistants and registered nurses. The role, which was introduced […]

Helping to bridge the nursing gap – training nursing associates in Norfolk

20 November 2018

The OU is part of an exciting new partnership to deliver further improvements to the care people in Norfolk and Waveney, while helping increase capacity within the NHS and social care workforce. The Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) programme is part of the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership – an innovative scheme to further […]

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