Inaugural lectures

To celebrate The Open University at 50, Richard Holliman, Professor of Engaged Research, explored selected examples from the OU’s curriculum, research and knowledge exchange portfolios in this inaugural lecture.

During The Open University’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Jo Brewis, Professor of People and Organisations in The Faculty of Business and Law, delivered her inaugural on the effects of menopause in the workplace.

As The Open University celebrated its 50th anniversary and its mission of openness, Martin Weller, Professor of Educational Technology at the OU, examined what the term ‘open’ means and considered what an ‘Open University’ would look like if we were to invent it now.

Professor Devendra Kodwani, Executive Dean of The Open University’s Faculty of Business and Law, introduced the OU's 50th anniversary inaugural lecture series with a lecture on lifelong learning and the role of universities, on Tuesday 28 January 2019.

In his inaugural lecture on 17 July, Professor Derek Matravers explored the dilemma of how to protect culture and heritage in war zones, while making human life a priority.

In his inaugural lecture on 26 June, Professor Richard Holti presented cases from the construction and sexual health industries on new models for organising which draw on in-house expertise and creativity.

At a time when Brexit negotiations reveal the potential confusion of assuming a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach across Europe, an OU academic described the perils of this approach worldwide.

The power of learning analytics to predict the best learning approach for students, was outlined by Bart Rienties in his inaugural lecture on Tuesday 30 January 2018.

Millions of children could fail at school due to an obsession with individual assessment, literacy skills and the right kind of behaviour, according to an OU academic.

Professor Cathy Lloyd delivered her inaugural lecture in July 2017 on Diabetes and Depression: A Tale of Three Cities, in which she highlighted the link between diabetes and psychosocial problems such as depression.