The Open University

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New BBC Ideas collection co-produced by the OU helps navigate modern life

26 July 2022

A brand new collection for BBC Ideas has launched today on BBC iPlayer, which includes five short films that are co-produced by The Open University. ‘Navigating Modern Life’ is a collection of films to help guide you through the challenges of everyday living – from sharpening up your critical thinking to making sense of statistics. […]

The OU to grow its curriculum through acquisition of the Open College of the Arts (OCA)

25 July 2022

Following positive discussions with the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), the Open University (OU) is pleased to announce an agreement has been reached that will see the OU acquire the Open College of the Arts (OCA). The OU was set up in 1969 to bring life-changing learning that enriches society to millions who otherwise […]

Moving the Maasai: Tanzania is repeating Kenya’s colonial past

22 July 2022

Lotte Hughes, Honorary Associate at The Open University writes for The Conversation about the Massai community being forcibly moved from their homes in Nairobi. Images of distressed members of the Maasai community being forcibly moved from their homes, beaten and harassed by police and the army in northern Tanzania in June set social media alight […]

Being in a couple can negatively affect women’s savings – here’s how to make nest eggs more equal

21 July 2022

Jerome Monne, ESSCA École de Management; Ariane Agunsoye, Goldsmiths, University of London; Dimitris Sotiropoulos, The Open University, and Janette Rutterford, The Open University Growing job insecurity, financial market volatility and rising prices have created an extremely uncertain environment for UK savers. The country’s welfare provisions are among the lowest of all OECD countries and the […]

OU receives grant to develop pioneering analytical centre

19 July 2022

The OU is to receive £750k to develop the Wolfson Analytical Centre, a world-class research facility with an initial focus on planetary, environmental and space sciences. The first project ‘The Environmental Boundaries of Life’, will bring together academic expertise to ask one of our most fundamental questions: are life and habitable environments unique to Earth? […]

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Conservative leadership election: why tax cuts are an economic gamble

15 July 2022

Alan Shipman, Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University, writes for The Conversation about tax as a leverage in the Tory leadership race. Always keen to be identified as the party of low taxation, the Conservatives won the 2019 general election on a promise not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance. So […]

OU delivers opportunity for FE colleges in England to boost their technical skills offer

14 July 2022

Further education colleges in England can now apply to access support from The Open University to boost their higher technical education provision. The scheme is backed by £10 million of UK Government funding and is designed to increase the number of communities that can access high-quality, higher, technical education locally. Under the scheme, the OU […]

Conservative leadership election: who might battle it out?

13 July 2022

As the voting gets underway in the Conservative Party leadership election, we asked three of our regular politics commentators to share their thoughts and predictions on how this race might run and which two candidates could ultimately battle for victory in September and succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister: Dr Richard Heffernan, Reader in Government […]

‘I changed my life through the OU – now I’m running my own business’

11 July 2022

Business owner Rhiannon is proof that with determination and the right support, anything is possible. After falling pregnant at 16, Rhiannon left school with only a handful of GCSEs. Fast forward to today, and she’s not only turned her own life around but is helping others to do the same through her business. She puts […]

Inflation, recession fears and tax cuts: any new UK chancellor faces an unenviable in-tray

8 July 2022

Alan Shipman, Senior Lecturer in Economic at The Open University and Phil Tomlinson, Professor of Industrial Strategy at Bath University, talk about the range of ministerial resignations in Boris Johnson’s government and the unenviable job of the new chancellor. The flood of ministerial resignations from UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s government in recent days started […]

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