All new professors are given the opportunity to give an inaugural lecture.
The series provides an opportunity to celebrate these achievements with each lecture representing a significant milestone in an academic's career.
Lectures are open to all University staff and students as well as to members of the public. Please see below for upcoming lectures. All lectures will be livestreamed and links will be added closer to each event.
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The inaugural lecture of Professor Joan Simons, Head of School for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care in the OU’s Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, will focus on how her experience as a burns nurse instigated a career long interest on improving the management of children’s pain in hospital.
Professor David Rothery and Professor Carole Haswell, delivered a joint inaugural lecture event on the theme of Discovering new planets.
As The Open University celebrates its 50th anniversary, Paul Lawrence, Asa Briggs Professor of History, delivered his inaugural lecture on how a historical approach to criminal justice contributes to contemporary understandings of crime and justice.
As The Open University celebrates its 50th anniversary, Gordon Liu, Professor of Marketing Strategy, delivered his inaugural lecture on how effective corporate social responsibility strategies enhance a firm’s reputation with its key stakeholders.
As The Open University celebrates its 50th anniversary, Mark Brandon, Professor in Polar Oceanography, delivered his inaugural lecture on the polar oceans and global climate and looked ahead to what could happen during the next 50 years.
As The Open University celebrates its 50th anniversary, Peter Twining, Professor of Education (Futures), delivered his inaugural lecture on what the future holds for schools.
As The Open University celebrates its 50th anniversary, Theo Papaioannou, Professor of Politics, Innovation and Development, delivered his inaugural lecture to explore the idea of social justice in innovation.
As The Open University celebrates its 50th anniversary, Jo Phoenix, Professor of Criminology, delivered her inaugural lecture on youth crime and justice.
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.