The Open University

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 offers free digital course to Lancashire and Greater Manchester residents

12 November 2020

People across Lancashire and Greater Manchester have a chance to retrain to become a tech engineer for free with The Open University (OU). The OU is offering residents across Lancashire and Greater Manchester the opportunity to upskill and make a career change into the technology sector. DevOpsSkills, a 20-week part-time course, developed by The Open […]

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 […]

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