Sesame Your student and alumni magazine Autumn 2009 Issue 242 LEARN CHINESE New beginners’ language course from the OU Graduate Special COURSE RESULTS iSPOT SMOKING A selection of the Embrace nature OU academic 2008 course results with new OU website talks tobacco 11580 Bose Sesame 280x194:11580 Bose Sesame 280x194 26/2/09 15:40 Page 1 ADVERTISEMENT Make the most of your favourite music Bring Bose into your home The WAVE® music system - DAB from BOSE® At a glance What it is A high quality CD and DAB/AM/FM radio system delivering DAB hideaway module phenomenal sound quality from compact dimensions. shown in Platinum White What it offers Critical acclaim Exceptional sound through 30 years of “The sound is punchy & impressive. As usual, Bose BOSE® waveguide research has something different to offer... 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Price, Payment Plan and free GPS offer subject to change without notice. If the product is returned GPS must also be returned for a full refund. ©2009 Bose Corporation. All rights reserved. Risk-free refers to 30-day home trial. WAVE® music system is registered trademark of Bose Corporation in the US and other countries. Registered in England no 1187672. Registered Office: Bose Ltd, 1 Ambley Green, Gillingham Business Park, Gillingham, Kent ME8 0NJ. Quotes reprinted with permission: Gramophone. Sesame Welcome Welcome Contents S e s a m e With the Majority of degree ceremonies Update Your student and alumni magazine Autumn 2009 Issue 242 having taken place around the UK and Ireland, All the latest news from the OU 4 L E A R N C H I NE SE New beginners’ language course from the OU we’ve decided to dub the autumn issue of Get in touch with nature with the new OU website iSpot 8 Sesame a graduate special. Your letters 10 We have spoken to some of the freshest BBC/OU co-productions, including Bang Goes The Theory 12 additions to the OU alumni from around the Bang Goes The Theory’s Dallas Campbell 15 G r a d u a t e UK and Ireland. You’ll find a selection of S p e c i a l graduates in the People section, revealing Courses COUR SE R E SULT S GRADUATE S P ECI AL SM OKI NG A selection of the Celebrating the latest OU academic 2008 course results graduates of the OU talks tobacco their reasons for studying with the OU and New beginners’ Chinese language course 17 what getting a degree means to them. Also included as part of The latest new courses selection from the OU 18 the celebrations is a rare insight into an OU degree ceremony Student case study 20 held in one of Her Majesty’s prisons. We also look at this year’s Annual course results: 2008 22 recipients of honorary OU degrees – a diverse selection of individuals who have provided exceptional contributions or People services to areas such as arts and sciences, education and 2009 graduate special culture, and to the educationally underprivileged. At the 2009 degree ceremonies 25 Many of you will already have seen some episodes of the new 40th anniversary donation appeal 28 BBC/OU co-produced science series Bang Goes The Theory. We Honorary graduates 2009 30 chat with some of the team who have helped shape the show thus Student prisoner’s graduation 32 far, both behind and in front of the camera, including some of the Member benefits 33 OU academic advisers and hands-on presenter Dallas Campbell. Platform: the latest highlights 35 Autumn also sees the launch of the OU’s new language course, Opinion: murder enquiries – instinct vs process 36 Beginners’ Chinese. As the title suggests, it’s an introduction to the language of a nation where development has been rapid in recent Research years. Also included in this issue are the 2008 annual course The latest OU research news 37 results (p22); a look at iSpot, the OU’s brilliant new nature website Research focus: tobacco 38 (p8); and an interview with Professor of Social Marketing, Gerard Inaugural lecture: international adoption 42 Hastings, recently awarded an OBE for services to healthcare, to find out his thoughts on tobacco (p38). Support Whether you are reading a print copy or online, we hope you Introducing new online conferencing tool Elluminate! 43 enjoy this issue of Sesame. Afterwards, why not let us know what Career focus: OU graduate Julie Russ 45 you think? You can contact the team at [email protected] Editor Scott Russon 25 Contributors Tracy Buchanan, Jenny Bond Yvonne Cook, Richard Cooper Head of Publications Jan Henderson Design Glen Darby Picture research Sas Misa Amoah Published by The Open University The Open University General Enquiries +44 (0)1908 274066 The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA Email [email protected] Website www.open.ac.uk/platform Printed by Artisan Press, distributed by Packpost Advertising Square7Media Email [email protected] 30 32 Telephone +44 (0)203 283 4055 U H U The editorial content of this magazine was correct at the time of going to press. M/H co No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior K. permission of the publishers. Views expressed in articles are those of the contributors and not necessarily of Sesame and The Open University. tterstoc Publication of an advertisement or loose insert in Sesame does not imply The U Open University’s recognition or approval of the goods or services advertised. H The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). COVER PHOTO: S To find out more about courses, go towww.open.ac.uk/courses Autumn 2009 | Sesame 242 3 Update All the latest news from The Open University Disabled students will benefit ‘Student bedroom’ assessment Donation enables new Access Centre resource THANKS to A donation from a founding member of the OU Computer Sci-Tech and Space Society (OUCSTSS), the OU Access Centre has a new assessment room. Based at the Walton Hall campus, the resource resembles a ‘student’s bedroom’ setting, the Professor Gourley with the Prime Minister idea being to provide an environment similar to that in Political heavyweights line up to eulogise the OU which a student lies on a bed for the majority of their study time due to their disability. The assessment room, High praise for OU named the Sharpey-Schafer Room in the donor’s honour, was formally opened with the Top politicians Brown, Cameron and Mandelson lead accolades donor’s family and members of OUCSTSS in June. WITH A GENERAL Election reaped the wider rewards to forget the trail The Open For information on the less than a year away, The learning brings.” University blazed.” Disabled Students’ Allowance, Open University is coming The Prime Minister, a former Not to be outdone, see www.open.ac.uk/ in for high praise from the OU tutor, also hosted a special Conservative leader David disability/disabled-students- country’s top politicians. reception at 10 Downing Street Cameron chose the impressive allowance.php Prime Minister Gordon in June to mark The Open surroundings of the OU’s For more information Brown, in line with an University’s 40th anniversary. Library at Walton Hall to deliver on donating to the OU, see announcement in June of And Secretary of State for a keynote policy speech at the www.open.ac.uk/fundraising £7.8m of funding to enhance Business, Innovation and Skills, end of May. the OU’s national role, said: Lord Mandelson, writing in the He prefaced his speech about “The success of distance Guardian, said: “The blinding bringing in sweeping change learning, pioneered 40 years flash of inspiration at the heart to politics by saying: “I think The ago by The Open University, of The Open University lay in Open University is something has been nothing short of a the way it challenged the idea of an example in the success revolution for higher education.