“The OU completely changed my life”
Science was the one subject Ray Barber loved since he was a boy. Working as a college technician with no qualifications, he embarked on an OU…
Browsing: Student stories
Never too old to learn: what will you do at 91?
An inspirational 91-year-old woman from Bromley, London has been named as a finalist in the Festival of Learning Awards 2019. Sylvia Rowbottom was forced to leave…
Meet the OU’s International Students
The Open University is launching the International Open Diaries; five short films featuring incredible OU students and alumni from different corners of the world. Following on…
When the going gets tough: surviving exam season
It’s that time of year, when exams are being sat in universities up and down the country and finishing touches are being put to dissertations and…
Life on the frontline of nursing – pioneer student discusses her journey with the OU
Pioneer student, Jacky looks back at her life and study with The Open University, spanning over 40 years. She succeeded in becoming the only registered nurse…
From prisoner to OU student and staff member
Stephen Akpabio-Klementowski’s story shows exactly how life-changing education can be. His journey has taken him from a prisoner, to an OU student and now to an…
To the moon and back – OU student Hannah on breaking boundaries
Hannah Sargeant spends her days exploring the universe. As a planetary scientist and PhD researcher at The Open University, Hannah, 26, is fulfilling her childhood dream…
Shooting for the stars (and beyond)
How did the planets in our solar system come to be? This is just one of the questions PhD student Vincent Deguin, 28, and his fellow…
From the West End to the OU – how study set Karena on a new path
As an Open University student turned Associate Lecturer, Karena Serdecka-Rhodes-Bell understands first-hand how education can help to open new doors. Karena previously worked as a professional…
Studying at sea – Tracy’s incredible OU journey across the ocean
As any OU student will tell you, studying takes place anywhere and everywhere. This was especially true for Tracy Thorpe, who spent most of her OU…
