News

The OU/BBC co-produced documentary "The Fires That Foretold Grenfell" won the prestigious Broadcast Award at the 15th Annual Learning On Screen Awards which took place on Thursday 25th April. Judges described the documentary as “arresting, artfully made and well-researched, with a strong emotional impact”. The documentary was supported by FASS Academic Prof Steve Tombs.

On Wednesday May 1st a new OU/BBC documentary series Forensics: The Real CSI begins on BBC Two at 9pm - except for viewers in Scotland. This series was produced with the support of FASS academic Dr Jim Turner, together with academics from STEM. The new series links into the following qualifications within FASS: Q07 BSc (Hons) Psychology, Q82 BSc (Hon) Forensic Psychology, and F73 MSc Forensic Psychological Studies.

The first episode of a new nine-part OU/BBC series ‘A History of Music and Technology' begins on BBC World Service Radio on Saturday 27 April at 11.00 GMT/12.00 BST. The programme was supported by FASS Academics Dr Sean Williams, Dr Robert Samuels, Dr Alexander Kolassa and Media Fellow Dr Chris Williams, with particular relevance to BA (Hons) Music R25,  BA (Hons) Arts and Humanities (Music) R14 and BA (Hons) Arts and Humanities R14.

David Humphreys, Professor of Environmental Policy at The Open University gave a speech outside the Houses of Parliament on climate change and was interviewed by Andy Collins on the BBC Radio Three Counties show, 15th April.

On Monday 1 April 2019, a new OU/BBC programme, The Brexit Storm: Laura Kuenssberg’s inside story, airs on BBC Two at 9pm. The programme was commissioned by OU Broadcast and Partnerships and supported by FASS Academics Mr Alan Shipman, Dr Peter Wood and Media Fellow Dr Alison Penn, with particular relevance to BA (Hons) Economics, BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics, BA (Hons) Combined Social Sciences and BA (Hons) International Studies.

Dr Sarah Crafter, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, has been awarded just under £1 million from the ESRC to undertake a research project on the care of separated child migrants.

Dr Sally O’Reilly, Lecturer in Creative Writing, has her article published on The Conversation about ‘competitive reading’, how we should take our time in reading and absorbing books, and not feel the pressure to read the right title.

A new OU/BBC series, ICONS, in which viewers can vote for their favourite 20th-century figure. The next show is on Tuesday 5th February on BBC2 at 9pm. The FASS's academic consultants on the series are Dr Richard Jones and Dr Luc-André Brunet.

BBC World Service and the British Council, with co-producer The Open University, have announced the winners of the International Radio Playwriting Competition. The winning play ‘A Broken Heart In A Warzone’ will be broadcast on BBC World Service on Saturday 26th January 2019 at 19:06. The winning script ‘By God’s Mercy’ will be broadcast on 2nd February 2019 at 19:06.

Through presentations by academics, critics, and writers, the spring 2019 seminar series organised by the Contemporary Cultures of Writing Research Group at The Open University will seek to engage with issues of representation and modes of narration, auto/biographical production and reception, and the impact of new technologies on presentation of self and other.