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An image of Sarah Vicary.

New Professor of Social Work and Mental Health

Dr Sarah Vicary has been promoted to Professor of Social Work and Mental Health, within the OU’s Faculty of WELS.  

11th January 2023
Three small children playing together outdoors in a nursery playground

New framework for Early Childhood Practitioners developed from WELS research

Dr Natalie Canning, Co-Director of The Open University’s Children’s Research Centre, launches the Empowerment Framework, a new tool for childhood practitioners to analyse children’s play and activities. Based on Dr Canning’s research into Early Childhood contexts, the tool supports the understanding of child development through an empowerment focus.

10th January 2023
Alicia Herbert (FCDO) and Loyce Nhandara (SAGE) pictured in a classroom on a recent visit. A blackboard covered in musical notes is in the background.

Zimbabwe project improving education of women and girls receives FCDO praise

The OU's global development project, SAGE – Supporting Adolescent Girls’ Education – was recently visited by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) who praised the initiative for its positive impact on women and girls in Zimbabwe.

3rd January 2023
Virtual reality setting showing three scans of the human body

OU secures £5.8m to build extended reality studio

The OU has secured funding of £5.8m from the Office for Students (OfS) to develop extended reality studios, Open XR Studios, to expand its teaching and learning with augmented and virtual reality.

20th December 2022
3 women studying with a mobile phone.

Start with pedagogy: The Open University consultation on education and technology for the Global Education Monitoring Report 2023

On 23 November 2022, academics specialising in education and technology met online to discuss their research, evidence, and recommendations to help inform the UNESCO 2023 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report on technology and education. 

12th December 2022
A young Asian woman is in the street, looking at her phone, as an augmented reality projection emerging from it..

Using augmented reality to enhance language learning

Dr Lina Adinolfi joins researchers at the OU and across Europe to develop skills in integrating augmented reality into language learning.

8th December 2022
Two NHS employees smiling.

Growing the local nursing workforce with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust

With limited local opportunities to train as a nurse available on the Isle of Wight, the IOW NHS Trust decided to grow its nursing workforce locally by partnering with the OU to provide Nursing Associate and Registered Nurse Degree apprenticeships. 

7th December 2022
The picture is of a young child and their mother studying in a classroom

The Centre for the Study of Global Development marks World Mental Health Day

On 10 October 2022, the Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) held its first cross-hub seminar event to mark World Mental Health Day, where three guest speakers shared their research that aims to support the mental wellbeing of distinct groups across the life course. The presenters spoke to the CSGD’s core belief of the importance of tackling societal challenges through an interdisciplinary lens, and that by working across disciplines we can enhance understanding and create more inclusive and robust solutions.

5th December 2022
WELS Teaching Exellence Awards 2022

WELS Teaching Excellence Awards 2022

A student wellbeing group that sees staff and students work in partnership has been named one of the winners at the 2022 WELS Teaching Excellence Awards.

1st December 2022
Two women sit side by side, they are look intently at a document.

WELS lead on project to improve the experience of witnesses in health and care professional practice proceedings

A team of researchers including academics at WELS and Professor Louise Wallace are behind a project which has received £141,000 in extra funding from The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

23rd November 2022

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