The Open University

Man sitting on a bench with his two daughters

‘The OU was there when life seemed impossible’

26 January 2021

Richard Dicks began studying with The Open University as a way to cope when his daughter Ella was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Though life seemed impossible at times, Richard says being able to study gave him something positive to focus on and that he found strength in Ella’s determination to keep smiling despite the […]

Analyst by day and student by night, Abiola shares his story with Gemma Cairney

22 January 2021

An inspiring data analyst from Greenwich, South East London, is the latest guest on a brand-new podcast series starting this month, hosted by broadcaster Gemma Cairney. Life … On Our Terms is an eight-episode podcast series from The Open University (OU) discussing a range of topics about life and the routes to success taken by […]

OU partners with BBC World Service on ambitious new radio series

19 January 2021

An ambitious radio series starts tomorrow (20 January) on BBC World Service. Co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s (OU) Broadcast and Partnerships team, Project 17 looks at the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals through the eyes of seventeen,17-year-olds from 17 different countries. Just over five years after the goals were created with […]

TV cameras return to Cornwall to explore its fishing life

18 January 2021

The beauty of Cornwall and the fishing tales of generations of fishermen are captured in a brand new six-part BBC/OU co-produced series this month. Cornwall: This Fishing Life is back for a new series where the past 12 months have seen the impact of two hugely challenging issues for this far flung county: Brexit and […]

Game your way into a new cyber career

21 December 2020

Most would agree that cyber security is no child’s play, but an Open University (OU) course is keen to borrow the latest gaming techniques to teach adults new skills in the field. OU tech experts have developed a new, FREE course teaching the basics of cyber security to beginners using game-based assessments, making the subject […]

A Perfect Planet: far reaching series set to air in New Year

19 December 2020

Can we really live in a perfect world? A Perfect Planet is a new, five-part natural history series co-produced by The Open University and the BBC, which explains why the Earth is just right for life, so long as we look after it. The series, set to air from Sunday 3 January 2021 at 8pm […]

Mars colony: how to make breathable air and fuel from brine – new research

1 December 2020

David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences, at The Open University, discusses new research from Washington University, which suggests that oxygen can be made on Mars using salty water found on the red planet. NASA is planning to land a crew on the Moon by 2024, and then onward to Mars, possibly in the 2030s. One […]

The Open University scoops two Guardian University Awards

25 November 2020

The Open University (OU) today won two awards after being shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Guardian University Awards 2020, which showcases some of the best work from across the Higher Education sector. The OU was selected as the winner in the categories of Research Impact and Widening Access and Outreach by a panel […]

Ariel space mission moves one step closer to reality

17 November 2020

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) exoplanet mission Ariel, set to launch in 2029, has moved from study to implementation phase. Ariel, also known as the Atmospheric remote-sensing infrared exoplanet large-survey mission, will study what exoplanets are made of, how they are formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of around 1000 planetary […]

OU receives £1 million to support small businesses across Scotland

13 November 2020

A £1 million grant has been awarded to The Open University in Scotland to support small to medium-sized businesses with skills training to boost productivity and growth in response to Covid-19. The new funding announced today by Scottish Government Business, Fair Work and Skills Minister Jamie Hepburn will enable small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to […]

OU News