News

An international team of astronomers has detected a planet orbiting our nearest star, Proxima Centauri. The research, which has been published in Nature to a global audience, suggests that the planet is at just the right distance from Proxima Centauri for liquid water to exist on its surface and has the potential to support life.

People from all walks of life, of all ages and backgrounds, from a spectrum of careers and industries gathered at Croke Park on Friday 13th May to celebrate achieving their degrees with The Open University.

Scientists at The Open University (OU) have published their first findings from Ptolemy, their gas analysis instrument on the Rosetta spacecraft’s lander Philae which landed on a comet last November. Analysis of the comet’s dust particles collected by Ptolemy has revealed the presence of organic compounds – key elements in the formation of life on Earth.

Nearly 200 Open University students from across Ireland received their degrees on Friday 10th April 2015 at a ceremony in the iconic surroundings of Croke Park, Dublin. 

The Open University recently participated in an evidence session hosted by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection in Dublin entitled, "Studying at University through on-line learning, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)"

On 27 June, The Open University hosted a panel discussion called Brexit and beyond in the National Library of Ireland.