New course will equip development workers to fight abuse
In this issue we have news of the launch of
Safeguarding Essentials, a course developed by The Open University’s International Development Office, with input from key agencies, to address an urgent need in the humanitarian and development sector.
We’re also delighted to report that representatives of International Development research feature strongly in the OU’s annual Research Excellence Awards, winning three of the seven Award categories.
And in addition to our many upcoming ID@OU events, we look forward to World Access to Higher Education Day on 26 November. The OU is a supporter of this international event; look out for activity on our ID@OU Twitter account on the day.
ID@OU
News and research round-up
Open University creates course to help aid workers fight abuse
The free Safeguarding Essentials course has signed up thousands of students since its launch on the Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s global learning platform. Read more…
International development prominent in ‘outstanding’ research achievements recognised by OU
Dr Jude Fransman, Dr Alessandra Marino and Dr Koula Charitonos are winners in the OU Research Excellence Awards 2019. Read more…
All the world’s a stage when international development meets Shakespeare
Development Policy and Practice (DPP) has contributed to a project led by Shakespeare’s Globe to provide teacher development in China. Read more…
Publication strategies for students and early career researchers: experts sessions now available to watch
Representatives from leading development studies journals and book publishers took part in two ‘how to get published’ sessions at the DSA 2019 conference. These sessions were recorded and are now online. Read more…
‘Our call is for more creative and visual ways of sharing data, rather than dense text’
Jo Vincett in the Faculty of Business and Law has developed an illustrated resource known as ‘refugee comics’ to build public awareness about the mental health damage to people detained with no time limit in UK immigration removal centres. Read more…
Open University partners Ministry of Education in Ghana to promote the effective teaching of practical science
The OpenSTEM Africa: Ghana programme will bring experiential learning to 148 of Ghana’s lowest performing Senior High Schools. Read more…
Why the Kurds had little option but to do a deal with Bashar al-Assad
Social Sciences Associate Lecturer Dr Cengiz Gunes examines the shifting balance of power in Syria in an article in The Conversation. Read more…
‘Kafkaesque’ Home Office rules terrify academics
Social Sciences lecturer Dr Jess Periam is quoted in a Guardian article outlining how UK visa rules for dependants are impacting on universities and their staff. Read more…
Addressing the class dimension in Higher Education
To mark World Access to Higher Education Day on 26 November, we publish Economics Lecturer Dr Lorena Lombardozzi’s findings on class and academic performance. Read more…
De‐centring the ‘white gaze’ of development - in full
An expanded version of Dr Robtel Pailey’s DSA keynote speech is now available online. Read more…
Opportunities
GCRF funding call: Education and Learning in Crises
This Global Challenges Research Fund programme supports research exploring the challenges of education and learning in contexts of conflict and protracted crises. Only proposals which aim to support the economic development and welfare of developing countries will be supported. Deadline 4 December 2019. Read more…
GCRF funding call: Youth futures
This Global Challenges Research Fund programme aims to examine the contributions of young people to the UN’s 2030 Agenda, bringing a youth lens to the global sustainable development challenges. Deadline 4 December 2019. Read more…
Senior Research Manager (International Development), Open University
Applications for this post close Thursday 7 November. Read more…
Research Associate, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Languages
The successful candidate will have a PhD completed within the last 3 years in the areas of Pragmatics, Sociolinguistics, Language and Social Interaction or a related field, as well as the ability to work with English and Spanish data. Applications close 25 November. Read more…
PhD Studentships in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies
The Open University’s Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS) is offering full-time funded PhD studentships. Deadline 31 January 2020. Read more…
ESRC-funded PhD studentships
The Open University is inviting applications for full and part-time studentships in its suite of pathways, including the Development Policy and Practice Pathway, within The Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership. Deadline 8 January 2020. Read more…
Events
NEW - EADI webinar: Rethinking Research Collaboration for Global Development
6 November, 15:30 CET (14.30 UTC)
In this webinar, Dr Jude Fransman, Open University and Dr Kate Newman, Christian Aid (co-convenors of the Rethinking Research Collaborative) will discuss their work on understanding and improving trans-national/sectoral/disciplinary research collaboration to address the urgent social and environmental challenges facing the world today. Read more and register…
NEW - The role of social sciences in innovation
6 November, 18:30 – 20:30, 50 George, Square Edinburgh, EH8 9JY This event, hosted by our partner Innogen Institute as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, focuses on genetic engineering and features a discussion and QA session chaired by Innogen Director and IDII Deputy Director Professor Theo Papaioannou. Read more…
NEW - Schooled Overseas - Studying in the UK
20 November, 13:00-16:00, The Open University Library, Seminar Room 4, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA A World Access to Higher Education Day free seminar run by the Access Participation and Success (APS) team at The Open University, exploring a little-studied aspect of the attainment gap. Read more and register…
The other road to serfdom: 'shock therapy' and the rise of the rentier class in post-Soviet economies (Open University International Development Seminar Series)
27 November, 12:00-14:00, Library Seminar Room 06, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
Dr Balihar Sanghera (Sociology, University of Kent) presents a moral economy critique of the transition to a market economy in the post-Soviet space. In a reversal of the classical ideal of a ‘free market’ (a market free from land rent, monopoly rent and interest), neoliberalism has promoted and celebrated rent extraction, sometimes over wealth creation. Some post-Soviet economies seek to extricate themselves from neoliberalism through alternative economic imaginaries, such as the Eurasian Economic Union and the Belt and Road Initiative. Read more and register…
Exploring cancer patients’ experiences in East Africa using patient pathways and mixed methods (Open University International Development Seminar Series)
11 December, 12:00-14:00, Charles Pinfold - Heron Room (level 4 ), The Open University, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
This lunchtime seminar will hear from Dr Cristina Santos (OU, Economics). Read more and register…
Open Impact Conference. Extending the frontiers of access to higher education in Africa: strategies for leveraging online and distance learning programs
13-14 December, Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda
This conference organised by The Open University Business School, the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Makerere University, will bring stakeholders together to co-create a strategic vision for Open and Distance Learning in Africa for the future. Read more and register…
The Nigeria-Biafra war, 50 years on, and the building on alternative archives (Open University International Development Seminar Series)
22 January 2020, 12:00-14:00, CMR11, The Open University, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
This lunchtime seminar will hear from Françoise Ugochukwu (Development Policy and Practice, OU). Read more and register…
NEW - Fighting inequality to beat poverty (Open University International Development Seminar Series)
19 February 2020, 12:00-14:00, CMR11, The Open University, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
This lunchtime seminar will hear from Dr Chiara Mariotti (Oxfam GB). Read more and register…
NEW - The role of the state in innovation (Open University International Development Seminar Series)
18 March 2020, 12:00-14:00, CMR11, The Open University, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
This lunchtime seminar will hear from Professor Theo Papaioannou (Development Policy and Practice, OU). Read more and register…
