The Open University

“The OU’s flexibility helped me achieve my career dreams”

1 March 2021

OU graduate Antonio Grasso always dreamed of turning his passion for video games and love of learning into a career. He’s now working for PlayStation, has a BAFTA nomination under his belt and says he still uses the skills he learned during his Business Studies degree every day. As Technology Partner Manager for Sony Interactive […]

Furlough scheme: UK has to extend it, but there are serious risks

26 February 2021

Dr Alan Shipman, senior lecturer in economics at The Open University, writes about the risk surrounding another extension of the UK furlough scheme. Finance ministers usually rejoice when businesses and employees alike both plead for a signature scheme to be extended. But for UK chancellor Rishi Sunak, demands to continue the country’s Coronavirus Job Retention […]

Red kites and ravens swooped through Elizabethan London – and helped keep the city clean

26 February 2021

Dr Lee Raye, associate lecturer in arts and humanities, at The Open University, has written a piece which is based on their new report on wild creatures which inhabit London, focusing on red kites and ravens. We sometimes think of cities as concrete deserts inhabited only by humans, pigeons and rats. But that has never […]

Can the laws of physics disprove God?

23 February 2021

Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space sciences at The Open University, discusses how the laws of physics might disprove God, as part of The Conversation’s ‘Life’s Big Questions’ series. I still believed in God (I am now an atheist) when I heard the following question at a seminar, first posed by Einstein, and was […]

Why the World Rugby guidelines banning trans athletes from the women’s game are reasonable

23 February 2021

Looking at aspects of safety, fairness and inclusivity, senior lecturer in philosophy Dr Jon Pike at The Open University discusses World Rugby’s guidelines on participation in the women’s game published in 2020. In 2020, World Rugby undertook a painstaking policy process to address the issue of transwomen in rugby. This led to guidelines that exclude […]

OU study first step for aspiring beauty editor Isabelle

19 February 2021

The latest episode of Life…On Our Terms sees host Gemma Cairney discussing entrepreneurship with Jamal Edwards, founder of online music channel SBTV, and first year OU student Isabelle Lowe. Isabelle, aged 24 from Bolton in Greater Manchester, is studying for a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing. She is combining her studies with […]

Research reveals support for Scottish reforms among legal professionals

19 February 2021

New research published this week shows support from the legal profession in Scotland to reforming elements of the Scottish jury system. The research, from The Open University (OU) and published in the Journal of Medicine, Science and Law brings fresh input into the ongoing debate over reforms to the historic jury system in Scotland. It […]

Accounting course is latest microcredential from The Open University

18 February 2021

Professionals looking to improve their understanding of management accounting get some help today with the launch of The Open University’s latest bite size course. Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting will be hosted on the OU’s partner platform, FutureLearn and is open for enrolment today, 18 February 2021. Leading academics from the OU’s Business School […]

Doing it for the girls – OU student encourages more women to consider STEM

12 February 2021

In this week’s episode of The Open University’s podcast series, Life… On Our Terms, presenter and broadcaster, Gemma Cairney speaks to Jezanne, a Health Science student at the OU, who is balancing her degree with a thriving career in Medical Governance. Jezanne, aged 19 from Reading, Berkshire is currently studying towards a Bachelor’s in Healthcare […]

Rising water vapour holds clues to possibility of past life on Mars

10 February 2021

An international team of researchers have observed the transport of water vapour high up into the atmosphere of the Red Planet, providing another clue in answering the mystery of when Mars might have been habitable for life. New findings from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) […]

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