The Open University

Marnie and Martin prove age is no barrier to study

4 November 2020

You’re never too old to learn as the saying goes and the OU proves how much that rings true as we help celebrate Lifelong Learning Week From teenagers to pensioners, thousands of OU students – of all ages and stages of life – are among those choosing to study for a variety of reasons. […]

US election puts personality politics in spotlight

3 November 2020

As the world awaits the outcome of the US election Dr Kesi Mahendran, a social and political psychologist at the OU, sheds new light on this crucially important vote and specifically its headline player Donald Trump. Her team’s research focuses on the public conversation between leaders and their citizens and the rise of populism. Yet […]

OU physicist receives national award for creating award-winning online lab

29 October 2020

Today, Professor Nicholas Braithwaite, of The Open University (OU), received a national award from the Institute of Physics (IOP) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to practical science. Professor Braithwaite was awarded the Lawrence Bragg medal and prize for developing the award-winning OpenSTEM Labs. Spearheaded by Professor Braithwaite, the flagship online laboratory for teaching practical […]

Water on the Moon: research unveils its type and abundance – boosting exploration plans

27 October 2020

New study unearths water on the Moon, Open University academics James Mortimer, postdoctoral researcher in planetary science and exploration and Mahesh Anand, professor of planetary science and exploration, explain how this discovery will enhance our understanding of water on the lunar surface. The Moon was for a long time considered to be bone dry, with […]

Asteroid Bennu: successful touchdown – but the scientific mission has only just begun

21 October 2020

Following the successful touch-and-go landing on asteroid Bennu, Monica Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences at The Open University, suggests that this momentous feat is only the beginning for the OSIRIS-REx team and wider scientific community. Relief showed clearly on the faces of the team of NASA scientists and engineers as they were told: “Touchdown is […]

Coronavirus ‘excess deaths’: why England and Wales have been hardest hit in Europe – new study

14 October 2020

Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics at The Open University, speaks on the numbers behind the global pandemic and explains why England and Wales have experienced ‘high excess deaths’ in comparison to other countries. To get through the COVID-19 pandemic, we need good information. One hugely important statistic is how many people have died […]

Clive Emsley, on receipt of honorary doctorate from Edge Hill University, 2016

OU pays tribute to pioneering historian of crime and policing

13 October 2020

Staff and colleagues around The Open University (OU) have been paying tribute to Emeritus Professor Clive Emsley, a founding member of the History Department at The Open University and one of the world’s foremost exponents of criminal justice history, who has died this month aged 76. Among his accolades Clive provided the first scholarly history […]

Mars: mounting evidence for subglacial lakes, but could they really host life?

29 September 2020

David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at The Open University, discusses the discovery of subglacial lakes on Mars and if this could lead to finding out if there was, or is, life on the planet. Venus may harbour life some 50km above its surface, we learned a couple of weeks ago. Now a new paper, published in Nature Astronomy, […]

OU research could improve mobility of Huntington’s patients

17 September 2020

A case study conducted by The Open University (OU) has found that wearable haptic devices – technology similar to a mobile phone vibrating at a set rhythm – could improve the mobility of people living with Huntington’s Disease. OU PhD student Riasat Islam and former OU PhD student Dr Theodoros Georgiou, used haptic rhythmic cueing […]

Open University report shows key skills gaps remain as businesses plan for recovery

16 September 2020

Since 2017, The Open University Business Barometer has provided detailed insights into the UK skills landscape, looking at the impacts across regions, nations and sectors. This year’s report, which is released in a completely new business context, is based on a survey of 1,000 business leaders representing organisations of all sizes. The report found that […]

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