The Open University
@OpenUniversity
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Open to people, places, methods and ideas. The Open University provides high-quality university education to all.
UK
Joined February 2008
For the past 50 years we’ve made it our mission to open up education for all. As the largest UK uni we’ve empowered over 2 million students across 157 countries to transform their lives through learning – helping make the impossible, possible. Happy 50th birthday to us!. #OU50
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“To anyone with a dream, please hold on to it, because you are the gold dust of the future. Don’t let anyone take that dream away from you!” 🙌. Welcome to the #OUfamily @ProfNoelFitz 🎉 We’re so proud to have you as part of the OU!
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From one national treasure to another. Happy birthday Sir David Attenborough! 🥳
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@StopFundingHate Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We’ve not planned or purchased advertising with GB News and are investigating why this has happened. This advertising has been paused with immediate effect.
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Thanks to our students and alumni for reminding @ITVCorrie that Open University degrees are achieved while working, raising families, being carers and so much more. No mean feat. So here’s a shout out to members of the #OUfamily – you’re amazing 🙌.
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Happy 2019 from all of us at The Open University - the year we celebrate turning 50! . #OU50 #HappyNewYear
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Happy birthday to us! 🥳 Sadly, there’s no cake, but today we’re still celebrating 5️⃣ 4️⃣ years since the OU was established by Royal Charter. Huge thanks to all members of the #OUfamily – we wouldn’t be here without you!. #OUCharterDay
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A landmark OU/BBC co-produced series begins at 9pm on BBC Two this evening. 'Earth' hosted by @ChrisGPackham, revisits Earth's most epic moments to tell the incredible story of our planet. Visit for exclusive content and information on the series.
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It's official; it's GOLD for The OU!🥇. We've been awarded a gold rating by the @officestudents Teaching Excellence Framework, which recognises high-quality teaching and student outcomes, with 2023 being the first time The OU has submitted for rating.
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Happy birthday to us! Sadly, there’s no cake, but today we’re still celebrating 51 years since the OU was established by Royal Charter. Massive hat tip to all members of the #OUfamily – we wouldn’t be here without you 💙. #OUCharterDay. 🎂 🎁
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We're saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and express deepest sympathy from the #OUfamily to the Royal Family.
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@Poles72 No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.
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Happy birthday to us! Sadly, there’s no cake, but today we’re still celebrating 55 years since the OU was established by Royal Charter. Huge thanks to all members of the #OUfamily – we wouldn’t be here without you!. #OUCharterDay
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'This picture captured every single human being alive. Except for the photographer, Michael Collins'. Jaw-dropping stuff 😲. #8DaysToTheMoonAndBack
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The Queen granted The Open University our Royal Charter in 1969 and visited the Milton Keynes campus with the Duke of Edinburgh in 1979.
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Lovely message here from top classicist and all round good egg @wmarybeard. Thank you Mary, and here's to 50 more years! #OU50
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This is it - you've made it! Huge congratulations and welcome to the #OUfamily. We're so proud to have you with us. 💙. This week is dedicated to celebrating you and all of your achievements, so let's get it started! Who's celebrating with us? 🎉.
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No problem. Here's over 1000 FREE courses from our @OUFreeLearning platform to get you started:
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It's our birthday! 🥳 . On this day in 1969, The Royal Charter's creation was approved by Her Majesty The Queen. We'd like to say a huge thank you to the more than two million #OUFamily members who have studied with us in the past 53 years. Now, where's that cake.
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Huge day for @TheCareKid today in Manchester! Just listen to Antony's story. Care leaver, turned big achiever! 🙌. #OU_Ceremonies
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Today marks 50 years since the first OU courses were launched 🚀 - kicking-off at 11am in 1971 with the very first 'Open Forum' programme on @BBCTwo. ⁉️ Question - what were those first 4 courses?.
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For over 50 years (52 if you're counting) we've made it our mission to open up education and make the impossible, possible for so many. It may be our birthday, but we're spending it celebrating YOU - our amazing #OUfamily. We're so proud of you. Here's to the next 52 years! 💙
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🎉Happy results day OU! 🎉. Join the celebrations today with #OUResults and you could win an OU hoodie!. 💙We think you're all amazing 💙
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Our #OUfamily stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they bravely defend their rights and democratic freedom: . . #StandWithUkraine.
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#OnThisDay in 1983, actress Julie Walters visited our campus in #MiltonKeynes for a pre-premiere of the film Education Rita! She's pictured here with University Secretary, Joe Clinch. 🤩
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We might be changing our logo back, but our message remains unchanged. Open to people, places, methods and ideas. Every day for the last 50 years. We are The Open University. Keep celebrating! 🌈 . #OU50
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❤️ For anyone who needs to hear this right now.
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Okay, it’s a few minutes past midnight so it’s officially OUR BIRTHDAY! 🎉 . Join us via #OU50 for a day of celebrations.
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Amazing new research suggests that there was once large seas on the surface of Mars and that it had a water cycle similar to Earth. Read more here: .
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Congratulations to everyone receiving their results this week! . Bear with us while we think of a grrrrreat pun. 😉
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Congratulations to all our amazing #OUfamily collecting their results today! We're so proud of you all! 💙. Share your achievements using #OUresults so that we can join in with your celebrations! 🥳
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With lots of you receiving your course books recently, we thought we'd share a 'behind the scenes' photo to show you where they've come from! Here they are being packed up at our warehouse in Wellingborough, ready to be posted to your front door!
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The moment we've all been waiting for! Here's to making education open to people, places, methods and ideas for AT LEAST the next 50 years 🎉. #OU50
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The Open University - where legends come to study. 🚴♂️🔥🔥🔥.
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Huge congratulations to everyone receiving their results today! . We're SO proud of you all 💙. Join the celebrations with #OUResults and you could win an OU hoodie!
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For anyone that needs some motivation today. Picture this moment - how will it make you feel? 💙
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At a time when flexible, open education has never been more important, we’re looking firmly to the future, opening up new possibilities for students, employers and society. #TheFutureIsOpen
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Waiting for your results? 😅. We've got 8 OU hoodies to give away tomorrow! All you have to do is join in using #OUResults. We can't wait to celebrate YOU!
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Huge round of applause from the #OUfamily to our NHS heroes 🙌👏We appreciate all that you do, now more so than ever 💙. #ClapForOurCarers
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At 23 @DavidHarewood had a psychotic breakdown and was sectioned. Thirty years on he pieces together what happened and explores the misconceptions around psychosis in this incredibly personal film. Catch #PsychosisAndMe on Thursday, 9pm on @BBCTwo .
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OU alumni and absolute legend, Sir @LennyHenry , has sent our entire Class of 2020 this awesome message. Huge congratulations to everyone that's celebrating with us this week. 🎉. #OUfamily
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A HUGE and well-deserved congratulations to @JohnMDArcy for receiving an OBE! 💙. John, who embodies the OU mission, has been recognised for improving the lives of many, with energy and commitment. Let's hear it for a special member of the #OUFamily 👏.
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This is great news! Along with Oxford and Cambridge, the OU has been awarded funding for almost 400 new doctoral places in arts and humanities 🎉 .
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👏 It’s official – we’re double award-winners! . Our #OU50 campaign, celebrating 50 years of incredible OU students, staff & alumni, has won a @CASEAdvance Circle of Excellence Award!. Thanks to all the #OUfamily for being part of this!. #CASECOE.
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“This is a day when dreams come true. ”. An absolute pleasure to welcome former tutor, Rt Hon. Gordon Brown, back to the #OUfamily. Thanks for joining us @OfficeGSBrown! 👏
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In 'Our Dementia Choir' starting tonight at 8pm on BBC One, @Vicky_McClure takes a deeply personal look at the extent of music’s power to help fight dementia. We asked her what she hoped the outcomes might be. Click below for her full interview👇 .
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Who's registered to study with us in autumn? Tell us what you're going to be studying & why below. Remember, registration closes 14th Sept!
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What a fabulous year it's been! Thank you for joining us in celebrating #OU50, and here's to many, MANY more celebrations! 🎉 . Let's end the year as we started - with a BANG! 🎆
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There's beating all the doubters, then there's doing THIS at your graduation ceremony 🤩🙌. #OU_Ceremonies #OUStudents
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Tonight brings the concluding part of 'Our Dementia Choir'. Here's @Vicky_McClure with another snippet from our exclusive interview on why you should watch this wonderful programme, tonight at 8pm on BBC1. Watch the full interview here:.
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Paying tribute today to our former Chancellor Baroness Betty Boothroyd, who “epitomised the spirit of The Open University, persevering, challenging boundaries and dedication to the cause of education for all”. #OUfamily
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"Lifelong learning simply cannot be beaten and that is what The Open University is all about.". Well, we're not going to argue with @ChrisGPackham. #OU50
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We're back with another amazing co-pro! Join @ProfBrianCox as we journey across the vastness of time and space revealing epic moments of sheer drama that changed the Universe forever. 📺: Wed 27th Oct | 9pm | BBC Two . Find out more here:. #Universe
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Congratulations to our new honorary graduate @eddieizzard .To all of our new graduates, Eddie had this to say: .‘We have one life, live it. Do things that scare the hell out of you. Challenge yourself.’ #OU_ceremonies
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Today we’re officially celebrating #OUCharterDay – 49 years since the OU was established by Royal Charter in 1969. As the theme of the day is pride. massive tip of the hat to members of our OU community – we’re very proud of you. What’s YOUR proudest OU moment?
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Is this you? Tell us about it 👇. Could this be you? Skill up and show off with an OU degree. It’s not too late to register for an autumn start….
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A huge congratulations to all of the graduates crossing the stage today. Here is a message from our Chancellor, Martha Lane Fox. 👏🎉#OUfamily
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As the only UK university dedicated to distance learning, we have over 50 years of experience to draw upon. When online learning is more important than ever, why settle for anything less?. Start your OU journey by downloading our OU 2021/22 prospectus:
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We're thrilled to announce that we've been named ‘University of the Year for Teaching Excellence’ by the Daily Mail University Guide! 🎉. “The OU is a unique ⭐ and treasured ⭐ feature of the British HE landscape.” Alastair McCall, Editor. #OUfamily 💙.
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🎉Happy results day OU! 🎉. Join the celebrations with #OUResults and you could win an OU hoodie!. 💙We think you're all amazing 💙
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RT this if you've got your #OUResults! . You're also more than welcome to use this GIF on your tweets to help celebrate 🥳
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We’re finalists in the @EcoverUK #FertilisetheFuture Fund and could secure funding that’ll help restore 100,000 hectares of all-important floodplain meadows. Please RT and like to help @Floodplainmead win as every interaction counts! 💚. #TheOpenUniversityxEcover #letsliveclean
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"I hope that you find something to do in your life that’s going to help you motivate others to do good things. If you can turn your hobby into your work, that’s a brilliant thing to do.". We're hugely excited to welcome the founder of @parkrun @paulsintonhewit to the #OUfamily
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Presenter and OU alumnus himself, @SteveBackshall is here with a big congratulations for everyone graduating this year! . We're so proud to have you all as part of the #OUfamily 💙
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Our Secure Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which provides digital access to study materials for students in secure environments, has won the widening access and outreach category at tonight’s @GdnUniversities awards. Just brilliant - 👍 to all involved! 🎉#GdnUniAwards
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Happy Birthday Sir David Attenborough. It's been a pleasure working with you over the years. #Attenborough90
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Let's start the day with a little bit of OU history. #Onthisday in 1973 we held our first ever degree ceremony in Alexandra Palace, London. It's was broadcast live on BBC Two! 📺
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The BBC is marking a half century of The OU with a new, hour-long documentary capturing our journey over the last 50 years. 'Happy Birthday OU: 50 Years of the Open University' is narrated by comedian, actor and OU alumni Sir Lenny Henry:.
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"A great independent university which does not insult any man or any women whatever their background by offering them the second best. Nothing but the best is good enough." . #OU50.
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Gripped by #Civilisations? Don't miss out on your FREE poster to go with our new series - so much info crammed into one cleverly folded piece of paper:.
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How does music affect the brain? Tonight @Vicky_McClure brings together a choir of people living with dementia, to discover how music-therapy can help 🎶 . Catch #OurDementiaChoir tonight at 8pm @BBCOne.
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You may have heard that this year we turn the big 50! 🎉. As part of the celebrations we wanted to look back on some photos of the last 50 years and here's the first one! A behind-the-scenes pic of the filming of an Open University TV programme from 1970. 📺. #throwbackthursday
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Congratulations @DrAliceRoberts for being awarded an honorary degree tomorrow afternoon at #OU_Ceremonies in Exeter! http://t.co/6nFvdvoBR6.
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Good morning #OUFamily 👋 . Join us in welcoming back our new and returning students ➡ what's your advice to those following in your footsteps? 🎓
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