Available onlineA University of the Air
(page 1 of 2)| Clip 1: | Soviet Union influence |
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| Duration: | 00:01:56 |
| Date: |
| Clip 2: | American influence |
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| Duration: | 00:00:45 |
| Date: | 1983 |
In 1977 Harold Wilson gave an engaging lecture at the Open University Students Association conference at York University. The lecture was recorded and broadcast as part of the OU's Open Forum series. Frequently including amusing stories and anecdotes, Wilson outlines the birth of the OU in his address. In this first clip he discusses the origins of the idea of The Open University and describes one of his main early influences including examples of Higher Education in the Soviet Union. In 1975, Wilson again visited the Soviet Union as Prime Minister and was able to describe the OU to Alexei Kosygin during a performance of the Bolshoi Ballet.
View first clip
In a programme made in 1982 for an OU course, Wilson describes the influence of American examples of distance learning on his ideas for a university of the air. It was during one of his visits to America to lecture and find out more about distance education, that he had to suddenly return to Britain, following Hugh Gaitskell's death in January 1963, to take part in the Labour Party leadership election.
View second clip
