WELS news

The Open University (OU)’s commitment to research and societal impact is recognised today (Thursday 12 May), with 82% of its research impact assessed to be ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*) by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

A team of academics from the WELS School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport (ECYS) have been awarded £60k from the Commonwealth Secretariat to develop a youth training programme for stakeholders across 54 member countries of the Commonwealth.

The OU has launched the world’s first Online Confucius Institute (OCI) in partnership with Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). Housed within the WELS School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, the OCI is a non-profit educational partnership between the OU and BFSU.

The Reading for Pleasure coalition is celebrating five years of incredible growth and successful social justice-driven projects and initiatives. It is estimated that the OU RfP research has influenced the reading lives of over 180,000 children.

Researchers in the OU’s School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care have received a grant from the Hallmark Foundation, a charity that invests in the future of care, to work together to further explore the concept of ‘relational care’ and how it can successfully be delivered in UK adult care settings with a focus on older adults.

As we approach International Nurses’ Day, we spoke to Ros Moore, Associate Lecturer on our Nursing qualifications, and a former Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland about her career, and why she chose to move into Nursing education.

WELS Research Fellow, Dr Hannah R. Marston, has provided evidence in a recently published report on the need for more life-enhancing technologies for disabled and older people.

A series of images and reflections taken by children and young people from the crisis-hit region of Lake Chad will be displayed at The Open University on 27 May. The exhibition offers critical reflection into how participatory photography can facilitate their participation in decision-making around the issues that directly affect their lives.

The Learning on Screen Awards showcase the best in educational film and television, and this year the Faculty of WELS have six nominations from the seven OU films represented. 

In 2021, the Faculty of WELS introduced the WELS Tutor Awards for the first time, providing students with the opportunity to recognise the dedication and skill of their tutors. Following the awards, analysis was carried out on the nominations to better understand what students valued from their tutors.