Newsletter
TV, Radio & Events
Write Around the World
Richard E. Grant travels in the footsteps of great writers inspired by Italy, France and Spain.
TV, Radio & Events
Secrets of the Museum
A unique arts series venturing behind the scenes at the world-famous museum of art, design and performance, the V&A.
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History & The Arts
My career goal: Creative and design
Bring out your creative flair to its full potential. Find some practical advice for advancing your career in a creative industry, whether that's using your keen visual eye, practical ingenuity, or rigorous technical skills.
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History & The Arts
Try your hand at travel writing
Travel is something we can all do. We don’t have to travel great distances. A journey can be as close as the distance from our home to the park at the end of the road. Travel writing is one of the most compelling forms of writing because a good travel book can transport you immediately to different places, people, and cultures, all from the comfort of your own home.
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History & The Arts
Talking literature with Richard E. Grant
Watch an exclusive interview with Richard E. Grant, as he answers questions put to him by our expert OU academics Dr Joanne Reardon and Professor Nicola J. Watson, on how reading books in the locations they were set brings places, people and history to life.
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History & The Arts
Write around the world - the map!
Travel right around the world in the company of books.
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Olympics, Paralympics, Olympians and Paralympians
The Tokyo Olympics were postponed due to COVID-19, but they are now underway and will run until the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in September - 6 weeks of sporting excellence. You can dig deep into the Olympics and Paralympics with our range of free resources, with new articles being added throughout the event.
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Health, Sports & Psychology
What happens to you when you read?
This free course, What happens to you when you read? explores our relationship with books and the ways in which engaging with fiction in particular can change readers. Research shows that as well as providing us with a form of entertainment, the activity of reading can bring benefits to our wellbeing in challenging times. People have experienced and explored these benefits throughout history. As you work your way through this course, you will have the chance to participate in both reading and writing activities and experience for yourself what happens to you when you read.
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History & The Arts
World Emoji Day
This week, on July 17th, it's World Emoji Day. Discover their impact on language and communication in our hub with an emoji animation voiced by Lauren Laverne, academic insights and related FREE courses.
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History & The Arts
Why do we need free speech?
Today free speech is widely considered to be a basic human right. Our individual liberty to say and think what we wish – within limits – is defended in modern British law.
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History & The Arts
Trouble in paradise: The Dutch golden age
Dr Dan Taylor looks at troubles the Netherlands faced due to religious divisions and how this nearly led to the collapse of one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
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History & The Arts
Why are people superstitious?
Have you ever found yourself counting magpies, avoiding black cats or worrying about an upcoming Friday the 13th? You may have said 'Bless You!' after a loved one’s sneeze, or kept your fingers crossed for a good outcome. Perhaps you count your success in say an exam or driving test on a pair of lucky pants.