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News from The Open University

Asteroids from the outer Solar System may have brought the building blocks of life to Earth

Asteroids from the outer Solar System may have brought the building blocks of life to Earth

A new study has provided important new clues as to how the inner Solar System, including Earth, acquired its water and organic-rich components – the essential building blocks for all life. The Kochi Team supported by researchers at The Open University (OU) and UCLA, USA and led by Motoo Ito of JAMSTEC, have undertaken a […]

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‘The OU was my perfect option after college’

‘The OU was my perfect option after college’

When Kianna Graham, 21, had to decide what life would look like after college, she says The Open University was the only option. Being able to continue working a job she loves and being surrounded by friends and family whilst furthering her education with a BA (Hons) degree in Business Management ticked every box. University […]

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Cost-of-living crisis – greatest challenge for 40 years says academic

Cost-of-living crisis – greatest challenge for 40 years says academic

The Bank of England has raised rates, a recession is looming and cost-of-living issues are dominating the headlines. Martin Upton is a senior lecturer in finance at The Open University, who spent 17 years working in the financial services industry before moving into academia. Here, he warns people against ill-judged decisions through the cost-of-living crisis […]

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UK interest rate rise: what the Bank of England’s historic hike means for your money

UK interest rate rise: what the Bank of England’s historic hike means for your money

Jonquil Lowe is a Senior Lecturer in Economics and Personal Finance at The Open University. Here she writes for The Conversation and predicts how households will feel the effect of rate rises as the Bank of England tries to slow inflation.  The Bank of England has raised its base rate by 0.5 percentage points, the […]

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A guard in front of 10 Downing Street in London

Tory leadership race: Sunak and Truss

The Conservative Party leadership election is gathering momentum, with Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss making it through to the final round of voting amongst party members. The pair have faced one another in TV debates and have traded arguments and polices to win over their voters, ahead of the final announcement in early September. Here […]

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Open University implements landmark decasualisation deal for tutors

Open University implements landmark decasualisation deal for tutors

The Open University (OU) has implemented new permanent contracts for over 4,800 Associate Lecturers, in the biggest decasualisation programme to take place in the higher education sector. As a result of the new contracts which were introduced on 1 August 2022, staff are now benefitting from enhanced job security and a pay uplift of between […]

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The Open University is a finalist in awards that champion social mobility  

The Open University is a finalist in awards that champion social mobility  

The Open University has become a finalist in the ‘University of the Year’ category in the sixth annual UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs). The awards recognise and celebrate UK organisations in their efforts to improve social mobility, both within their workforce and beyond. It’s organised by societal change charity, Making The Leap. SOMOs were the […]

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Three reasons concrete doesn’t live up to its environmental claims

Three reasons concrete doesn’t live up to its environmental claims

Dr Alice Moncaster, is a Senior Lecturer in general engineering at The Open University and here she gives her take on why concrete isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be in terms of the environment. Up to 8% of all global anthropogenic human-made emissions are due to just one material, cement. And our use […]

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Student Katelyn Owens shares her 'life-changing' OU journey

“The OU saved my life. Now the sky’s the limit!”

“Everybody takes a different path in life. You just have to find what’s right for you.” That’s the advice from 23-year-old Katelyn Owens who, after transferring to numerous universities and battling a substance use disorder has regained confidence and taken back control over her life. BA (Hons) Criminology & Sociology student Katelyn, now living in […]

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‘Alternative’ weddings could become legally binding – report

‘Alternative’ weddings could become legally binding – report

An Open University academic’s research has helped pave the way for the possibility of ‘alternative-style’ weddings becoming legally binding in England and Wales. Celebrants from non-religious belief organisations, such as humanists, already conduct legally binding weddings in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. If you attended a really personalised wedding-style ceremony this year, it was probably conducted […]

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