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• Opening up history

  Delve into our Opening up history series: a collection of interviews with historians from The Open University. Read about their research ranging from the political culture in 18th century Ireland to anti-nuclear activism during the Cold War.

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• Language in professional life

  This free course explores English language use across a range of professions, drawing on audio and video interviews, video footage of different workplaces and short texts for analysis. Over the six weeks, you’ll look at how language is used in branding, English for academic purposes, organisational culture, health communication, speech and ...

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• Design is open

  Design is Open is a series of videos with UK-based design leaders, sharing their journey as designers and their reflections on how the design world and the roles designers play is changing.

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• What foster carers want you to know

  What do foster carers want you to know about the day-to-day realities and challenges of fostering?

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• Extreme endurance performances – who, what and why?

  This free course explores what we mean by ‘extreme endurance performance’ and why increasing numbers of people are attracted to these events. What is it about extreme feats of physical activity that motivate people to participate in them, and where is the limit to what the human body is capable of achieving? This course examines the subject from...

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• Using Turnitin effectively: building integrity into your writing

  This short online course introduces you to Turnitin and demonstrates how it can be used formatively to enhance your learning and strengthen your understanding of academic integrity. Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of honest education and assessment, reflecting your commitment to producing and submitting work that is authentically ...

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• Exploring cells with digital fluorescence microscopy

  In this free course, you will learn about microscopy techniques, understand their differences and delve into the fascinating world of fluorescence microscopy. You’ll learn how to make proteins and structures fluorescent, and you’ll see why fluorescence microscopy is one of the most versatile techniques in cell biology. You can refresh your ...

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• Building belonging and mattering to achieve equity for Black STEM students

  Equity for Black STEM students goes beyond access – it requires belonging and mattering. This article explores how The Open University’s Black STEM Hub is building community, visibility and connection to support student success in distance learning.

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• When words escape control: Tourette syndrome and slurs

  After the BBC broadcast a racial slur shouted by a guest with Tourette syndrome, the incident sparked outrage and an apology. But it also reveals a deeper linguistic question: when words cause harm, how much does intent matter?

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