Once again this past week we’ve been busy scanning across the internet to find the latest information and Open University courses. The greatest university on the planet (we reckon anyway) is always innovating and leading the way on many issues that affect us around the globe and these news pieces reflect just that. So if there’s a free course or bit of news on the agenda then hopefully we will pick it up and stick it on the next Open University news.

Steve Hill was an assistant bank manager for NatWest, in the UK, when he was told by his employer that he would need to have a degree to become a branch manager. With only a few qualifications from school, NatWest sponsored his studies, taking his career from a local branch to the City of London. Two Open University degrees later and a third soon to be completed, Mr Hill now works as the university’s director of external engagement, liaising with businesses and running efforts to expand overseas.

Steve has studied for numerous MOOCS

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THE Scottish Government’s policy of providing free tuition to university students is damaging moves to get poorer pupils into higher education, a leading free market think tank has warned. The Adam Smith Institute said students from more disadvantaged backgrounds were finding it harder to go to university because there is a strict cap on places to prevent an overspend of public funding. In contrast there is no limit on places in England because students pay fees of up to £9000 – although they end up with much greater levels of debt when they graduate.

Nearly 40 per cent of students at the Open University are from Scotland’s 40 per cent most deprived communities

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