WELS news

A new OU/BBC documentary ‘Linford’ looks back on the extraordinary career of one of Britain’s most successful athletes, Linford Christie. The documentary delves into the life of the man who was one of the most celebrated athletes in Britain, until his career closed with a scandal that shocked the nation.

When a self-confessed “crazy choice” threatened to derail hopes of Gaia completing her Language Studies degree, an Open University (OU) tutor stepped into cheer her on and across the finishing line.

The Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) has been awarded a grant by the German government to develop a framework study and two country case study papers on social protection and overcoming colonial continuities. The research project aligns with the German Ministry of Development Cooperation’s broader interest in understanding historical path dependencies and the role of colonialism within them.

Dr Victoria Cooper has been promoted to Professor of Childhood Studies, in recognition of her research expertise focusing on children’s voice, and her extensive teaching experience throughout her career and within the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport (ECYS).

The Mobile Learning for Empowerment of Marginalised Mathematics Educators (3MPower) project has published three new policy briefs based on their research on how teachers in rural schools in Bangladesh use online learning for their professional development. 

Social Work student Hannah Wright has won the Apprenticeship Determination of the Year award at the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Apprenticeship awards 2023/24. The annual awards recognise apprentices who have demonstrated outstanding work and commitment to their role.

Dr Rebecca Jones has been promoted to Professor of Sociology, Sexuality and Ageing, in recognition of her ground-breaking research, centring on sociological approaches to later life, sexuality and especially sexuality in later life, and her contributions to teaching.

New research in Nepal and Nigeria, led by Professor Kristina Hultgren from The Open University’s Centre for the Study of Global Development, shows that English-medium education policies can create gender-based educational inequalities.

Elizabeth Ascroft, a PhD student in the Centre for the Study of Global Development ​recently collaborated with 12 young people (aged 14-16) in Aruba to create a sex-education e-zine. The zine was developed in partnership with Famia Planea Aruba, a sexual and reproductive health provider.

Researchers from the OU's Faculty of WELS are investigating how self-managed abortions relate to social connectedness and issues of reproductive control and autonomy. A new paper examines the experiences of self-managed abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to support available from professionals, family and friends.