News & articles

The space race between the USA and Russia started with a beep from the Sputnik satellite exactly 60 years ago (October 4, 1957) and ended with a handshake in space just 18 years later.

The dream of a human habitat in orbit about the moon came a step closer on September 27, when NASA and the Russian space agency (Roscosmos) signed up to a common vision for future human exploration.

An OU team has been shortlisted in the WISE Awards 2017 in recognition of its outstanding contributions to gender balance in science, technology and engineering, of individuals and organisations.

NASA’s Cassini mission has made its “death plunge” into the swirling clouds of Saturn after 20 years of exploring the planet and its moons.

Professor Joyce Tait has been appointed to the Council for Science and Technology, which advises the Prime Minister on science and technology policy issues.

The OU’s first Sino-UK Symposium on Technology and Language Teaching in Beijing, held on 27 – 28th August 2017, attracted over 27,000 participants.

The OU’s reputation as the European leader for massive innovations in learning technologies was endorsed this month (8 September 2017), through the award for progressive education delivery at this year's PIEoneer Awards. Read the news story.

In the aftermath of a controversial clash of protests in Boston, Donald Trump sent out a tweet about the need to heal the nation – managing in the process to misspell the word “heal”.

OU initiatives which demonstrate innovation in teaching and research impact have been shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Awards 2017 and the Open University Business School is in the running for Business School of the Year.

An exposé of an immigration removal centre has uncovered shocking levels of violence and abuse directed at detainees awaiting potential deportation from the UK. While some staff at the Brook House centre for men near Gatwick Airport, run by the company G4S, tried to control the “chaos”, others were clearly seen mocking and assaulting detainees.