We use our research to transform lives across the four nations and globally.

We take a challenge-led and open approach to research through our Open Societal Challenges (OSC).

These Challenges are driving real change across the themes of Sustainability, Tackling Inequalities and Living Well.

We need the brightest minds to address the most pressing needs of our time and we are building a more diverse next generation of research leaders to continue to support this and to broaden our horizons.

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Research at The Open University

Research news and articles

A band with two people on guitars and one on drums playing on a stage, with a person wearing a green hat with shamrocks on it dancing in front of them

New OU research grant looks at music as cultural refuge in Northern Ireland

A new Open University research project, Music as Cultural Refuge, has been awarded £186,751 by the Arts & Humanities Research Council to explore how young people in Northern Ireland used music to navigate the emotional and social pressures of the Troubles.

19th June 2026

The planet Mars against a black background

OU to support mission to search for signs of ancient life on Mars

The Open University has been awarded £254,000 from the UK Space Agency to advance the UK’s scientific leadership on the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Rover Mission, launching in 2028.

18th June 2026

The bright lights and pink and purple swirls of starts and galaxies against a black background

OU researchers win major grant to probe how galaxies grow and evolve

A new Open University research project will use cutting edge space telescope data and advanced cosmological simulations to uncover how galaxies like our own Milky Way were built.

17th June 2026

US defies forecasts of economic slowdown, but it's growth isn't making ordinary people better off

US economic growth is picking up again after a slowdown towards the end of 2025. According to price data released on May 28, US GDP grew by 1.6% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026

10th June 2026

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Interested in research? Check out the new Open University research video series 'So What?' to find out more about some of the impactful research happening at The Open University.

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Our research is conducted across four faculties, two research institutes, and a variety of inter-faculty research areas.

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The service is publicly accessible and can be browsed and searched freely. It is home to thousands of peer reviewed publications.

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Updated 31 March 2026

Research that transforms lives