This is an advanced-level course using a variety of authentic materials from Spain and Latin America to improve your language skills and knowledge of Spanish-speaking societies. The course has seven themes that give a broad introduction to different aspects of Spanish-speaking countries. These are: cultural diversity, art, society, languages in contact, science and technology, trade and employment and the environment. The course includes face-to-face or teleconference tutorials. This material is taken from The Open University course L314 A Buen Puerto: Fast Forward in Spanish.

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How we can be sure our air is safe to breathe? This album introduces the principles and concepts of air quality management and looks at how we analyse pollution control problems. Five video tracks review the nature and characteristics of air pollution today and demonstrate how air quality data is interpreted. They include a comparison between shipping and car emission levels, the processes used to remove pollutants from the air, and ways in which British Aerospace could limit its Volatile Organic Compound emissions in the future. This material forms part of T308 Environmental monitoring, modelling and control.

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Everyone has their own perspective on mental health, especially those who have experienced it. 'An untimely death on Passchendaele Ward' is written and performed by members 'The Orphans of Beulah' - a theatre group consisting of mental health service users and survivors. It is a modern day farce focusing on life in a Mental Health Institution. A death on the the ward leads to a lot of questions being asked. There are nurses self-medicating, patients acting as nurses, commissioners turning a blind eye. Who turns out on top, and what actually did happen that fateful night on Passchendaele Ward? In two of the audio tracks, service users, professionals and practitioners comment on the drama an some of the issues it raises. In the remaining audio tracks, Jonathan Leach of the Open University's School of Health and Social Welfare explains why the drama was commissioned, and how it fits in with the aims of the course. He also gives an overview of the course and who it's aimed at, and talks about how he came to be involved in mental health education. This material forms part of K225, Diverse perspectives on mental health.

Making the move to residential care is one of the biggest decisions most people have to make in their lives. Focusing on staff and residents at Drummond Grange, the five video tracks in this album explore the organisational and personal aspects of the transition from independent living to residential care. It addresses the importance of selecting the right place for your needs and interests, finding ways to maintain contact with your family and adjusting to life in a new community. The material forms part of the course K216 Applied Social Work Practice.

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This series of tracks looks at several archaeological digs and follows the processes through from site discovery, to recording and conserving finds. Material is taken from The Open University Course SA188 Archaeology: the science of investigation.

This is both a theoretical and highly practical course covering a wide variety of topics across the whole field of modern biology. Its approach emphasizes areas where research is developing rapidly, and students are actively encouraged to evaluate conflicting or controversial theories, and carry out their own experiments. The main theme of the course is the astonishing diversity of forms that develop from just a few basic life processes. The first half of the course deals mainly with those uniform processes and how diversity arises from them, while the second half examines examples in the kingdoms of microbes, plants and animals. This material is taken from The Open University Course S204 Biology Uniformity and Diversity.

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Early one sunny morning, the BLAST! project team, two OU scientists (Vic Pearson and Darren Yau), Rough Science’s Mike Bullivant and a few hangers-on, went to Willen Lake in Milton Keynes, UK. Our scientists were given the challenge of making and launching a rocket that would safely transport a fresh egg as high and as far as possible. Darren and Vic also had at their disposal some water, some basic bits of equipment and their science know-how. Would the egg land safely without breaking? This is the story of what happened over the next two days…

Have you ever wondered where bottled water comes from and what impact this has on the environment? This informative, animated video looks at the complete process of producing bottled water and strives to answer the question, 'Bottled water - who needs it?' Highlighting the effects this has on the carbon footprint, we learn how bottled water is disseminated worldwide. This material forms part of the course U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world.

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Recent graduates of the Ruskin Art School talk about their Final Year Projects.

Technology and music have been closely associated since the very first musical instruments were constructed, and in the 19th century an explosion of invention revolutionised the way brass instruments could be played. The 14 video tracks on this album introduce the basic acoustical principles of brass instruments and how technical developments have affected the way they are designed and played. The album explores the latest scientific research, performers' perspectives and the manufacturing process. This material forms part of TA212 The Technology of Music.

Recent graduates of the Ruskin Art School talk about their Final Year Projects.

This series of tracks examines the operations management in four service industries. Each has unique problems associated with their sector but they all have operational processes to ensure smooth delivery of their product. Material is taken from The Open University Course T883 Business operations: delivering value.

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This series of tracks looks at how two quite different industries respond to problem solving. They show that methodology is similar regardless of the industry's focus or size. Material is taken from The Open University Course T889 Problem solving and improvement: quality and other approaches.

Podcasts of Medieval English lectures, and supporting material, presented at the English Faculty, University of Oxford.

Open University Business School Alumni Events

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We know drunk-driving causes death on the roads, but how does taking drugs like cannabis affect your driving skills? This album offers a chance to see how psychologists perform experiments which measure how much cannabis distorts a normal state of consciousness. Tracks 5-8 explore human inventiveness, pointing out that nothing in the world could have been made without the human capacity for imagination. Evolutionary anthropologists use the example of tool-making, showing that humans started to develop this brain capacity 50,000 years ago. Scientists can demonstrate that musicians and artists use an unusual amount of imagination for their creativity; and, lastly, the audio tracks 9-11 look at the complex topic of human consciousness. This material forms part of the Open University course DSE212 Exploring Psychology.

Podcasts of events and lectures taking place at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics.

The way forests around the world are managed is undergoing radical change. In the UK, local communities are buying forested land, to preserve forests for the greater benefit of society. In the developing world, forestry commissions are actively empowering villagers to engage in forest management and conservation. The video tracks on this album use case studies in the UK and in India to illustrate ways in which forest management is changing, and how such changes can be implemented. To complete the album, Open University academic Giles Mohan explains why the case studies were selected and unpicks some of the issues that emerge. This material is taken from the Open University course TU870 Capacities for managing development.

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There's a lot more to Notting Hill Carnival than a great street party. This album gives you a true insider guide, by some of the people who have made the Carnival what it is today. Its story reaches back to the darkest recesses of European tradition, through Colonialism and slavery, to racist Britain of the 1950’s and 60’s. It merges contemporary ideas with art forms reaching back via the Caribbean slave plantations to tribal Africa. And its setting in West London brings out a history of the area which some of its residents might prefer to forget. The album also contains academic perspectives from Susie West, Lecturer in Heritage Studies at the Open University; Hakim Adi, Reader in the History of Africa and the African Diaspora at Middlesex University; and Ruth Tompsett, Visiting Lecturer in Carnival Studies at Middlesex University. This material forms part of the Open University Course AD281 Understanding global heritage. You can discover something of what it's like to study the course by using the downloadable 'activities' files to explore some ideas which connect carnival with the study of heritage in contemporary society and the way in which heritage is related to multiculturalism and the production of a sense of identity and community.

This course focuses on two interlinked issues: the philosophical questions that arise in social science research, and research methods. Social inquiry attempts to take a scientific approach to explaining the complexity of everyday experiences, but in practice there are many pitfalls. The course reviews common issues that arise, including language, culture, survey methods and the problems of distinguishing between facts and values, understanding and explanation, theory and observation, and induction and deduction. The central tenet is that philosophical thinking and practical research go hand in hand. This material is taken from The Open University Course D820 The Challenge of the Social Sciences.

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Podcasts of pre-course listening material for Russian Ab Inition presented by the sub-faculty of Russian at the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford.

Mental health service users often feel - and often are - disempowered from taking control of their own destiny. The video tracks on this album tell the story of people who have been confined to the psychiatric wing of a large Northern hospital. Scripted and acted by mental health service users/survivors, A Quiet Night on Roundhay Wing presents an insiders' perspective on the people and practices that have dominated – and defined – their lives, often over many years. Although the events portrayed did not actually take place, it is a true story in the sense that it is grounded in and reflects people's real experiences. The audio tracks explore some of the issues raised by the drama, and present perspectives on the album from Ann Mitchell, lecturer in mental health nursing at the Open University. The material forms part of the Open University course K272, Challenging ideas in mental health.

The Human Genome Project, the cutting edge of 21st century science, involves a unique collaboration between biologists, geneticists and statisticians, using the latest information technology. Today we stand on the brink of a new era, and the work of one man prepared the way. But few people today know of the achievements of Ronald Aylmer Fisher. The four video tracks on this album investigate the enduring legacy of a largely unknown genius. The material forms part of the course SMK184 Chance, Risk & Health.

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If you could save one thing for posterity, what would it be? Your answer is likely to depend on the things you value. But the things that society values are changing all the time. The tracks on this album explore four different heritage stories. In the feature on the Lake District, we hear how the values of Wordsworth sometimes have to give way to the values of farmers. In two features on archaeology, we shine the spotlight on a discipline where there is increasing emphasis on the ordinary over the historic or spectacular. And in our feature on the memorial to the London July bombings, we hear from ordinary people in control of the design. The album also contains academic perspectives from Rodney Harrison, Lecturer in Heritage Studies at the Open University. This material forms part of the Open University Course AD281 Understanding global heritage. You can discover something of what it's like to study the course by using the downloadable 'activities' files to explore the concept of ‘World Heritage’, how it is defined, and conflicting interests in its management. You can also learn more about changing approaches to archaeology and heritage management, and the relationship between heritage and public memory.

This coastal walk takes place along the UK's beautiful Devon coastline from Slapton Sands to Start Point. Along the walk, we discuss the science, history and geography of the area with Open University tutor Phil Bradfield. It is a pilot project, so we welcome your comments and opinions. (Please see the Coastal Walk website.) The podcast can be downloaded as eighteen files - recommended if you are planning to do the walk - or as a single file.

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Podcasts from the Faculty of Classics.

This series of tracks investigates psychological phenomena and whether they can be explained either theoretically or scientifically. Material is taken from The Open University Course DD303 Cognitive Psychology.

People throughout the community are affected by social issues, and it is the job of social workers to ensure that they are getting the best care, help and support that they need. The 16 tracks on this album look at numerous circumstances within the community - from the different ways of schooling young people with visual impairment, to fuel poverty, homelessness and the charity Mencap. The material forms part of the course K202, Care, welfare and community.

History of Art at the University of Oxford draws on a long and deep tradition of teaching and studying the subject. The core academic staff of the History of Art Department work on subjects from medieval European architecture to modern Chinese art. Over fifty associated academic staff (e.g. in Anthropology, Classics, History, Oriental Studies, and the Ruskin School of Drawing) include teachers and researchers across the full global and historical range of art and visual culture. This offers students exciting possibilities to take courses and receive supervision on a very wide range of topics, and to develop their own interests in art history.

In the last 50 years, developments in technology have had a profound effect on the production, recording and manipulation of music. The 8 video tracks in this album introduce Simon Whiteside, a television and film composer, explore his recording studio and explain how he uses MIDI to create music for films and television programmes. Using an example of one of the programmes he has worked on, Simon illustrates the technical and creative processes involved. This material forms part of TA212 Technology of Music.

This course explores the diversity of modern computer applications and describes the fundamental components of computer systems. It covers the characteristics of the hardware components that make up computer systems, the basic instructions that are used to make microprocessors perform tasks and reviews PC operating systems, processors, and memory. By the end of the course you should be able to identify trends and explain underlying technologies; understand why different processors are suitable for different types of task and understand how to assess the requirements of a computer-based system in terms of processing speed, memory size, speed of data transfer, power, cost, etc. This material is taken from the Open University course T224 Computers and processors.

Podcasts that explore the relationship between J.R.R. Tolkien and Oxford University, where he both studied and worked.

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The complex field of finance is relevant to everybody in one way or another and is particularly relevant to all aspects of management. Representatives from Boots, De La Rue and ABN Amro offer insights into the various issues surrounding risk – what kinds of risk their companies are concerned with; how those risks are managed; their companies' differing attitudes to those risks. The album also explores developments in single currency, pension scheme deficits and corporate governance and explains what’s meant Forward Rate Agreement and Efficient-Market Hypothesis. This material forms part of the Open University course B821 Financial strategy.

The John Locke Lectures are among the world's most distinguished lecture series in philosophy. The series began in 1950 and are given once a year.

This series of tracks examines the case of Stephen Lawrence, who was a victim of racial violence, as well as looking at what the police force are doing in Plumstead, London to handle racially motivated attacks. Material is taken from The Open University Course D315 Crime, Order and Social Control.

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We live in a complex, fast changing and highly social world. One of the most compelling questions we face is how to understand ourselves and other people. The video tracks on this album introduce the four main theoretical perspectives in social psychology - cognitive, psychoanalytical, discursive and phenomenological. The album also explores interrogative themes that help in the understanding of key topics in social psychology. This material forms part of the course DD307, Social psychology: critical perspectives on self and others.

History of Art at the University of Oxford draws on a long and deep tradition of teaching and studying the subject. The core academic staff of the History of Art Department work on subjects from medieval European architecture to modern Chinese art. Over fifty associated academic staff (e.g. in Anthropology, Classics, History, Oriental Studies, and the Ruskin School of Drawing) include teachers and researchers across the full global and historical range of art and visual culture. This offers students exciting possibilities to take courses and receive supervision on a very wide range of topics, and to develop their own interests in art history.

This series of tracks looks at social work practice around the world and compares attitudes and management techniques within the social work field. Material is taken from The Open University Course K315 Critical social work practice.

Bryan Ward-Perkins on the Fall of the Roman Empire

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This series of tracks concentrates on an ancient city, Thugga, and looks at the influence of the Roman Empire on the city and the existing culture. Material is taken from The Open University Course AA309 Culture, identity and power in the Roman empire.

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On The Origin Of Species. This album introduces Darwin's great revelation: that species change and adapt according to their environment. Apparently diverse specimens and fossils reveal surprising results, such as the common ancestry of the hippopotamus and the dolphin, whose evolutionary paths diverged when their habitats changed. Research on sparrows show how particular characteristics are linked to success at surviving in the wild, and the selective breeding of dogs for aesthetic purposes shows how humans can influence the evolution of other species. This material forms part of the Open University course S366 Evolution.

Interviews with Philosophers

How are genetic traits handed down through generations? How did you inherit your grandfather's red hair whilst your parents are both black-haired? Even Charles Darwin himself never really understood the causes behind this. This album traces the development of our understanding of the laws of inheritance. The tracks on this album, drawn from an Open University programme first broadcast in 1998, explore the discoveries of scientists such as the botanist Mendel, and the chemist Friedrich Miescher who first identified DNA, and see how they come together with Darwin's theory of evolution to form the concepts which lie at the heart of modern genetics. Contributors include Richard Dawkins, Colin Tudge, John Maynard Smith, Steven Rose and Steve Jones.

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Greg Kochanski on Phonetics

We encounter designed products every day, from bus tickets to buildings. We travel on, wear and even eat products that have been designed. What it is like to be a designer? What are the design processes that generate products? The 28 video tracks on this album reveal the importance of creativity in the design process and explore the products and practices of both new and highly experienced designers working in the international design world. Designers from Philips and IDEO explain how they formulate design plans, conduct market research and make design decisions. This material forms part of the Open University course T211 Design and designing.

This course provides an introduction to today's international design world. The intention is to explain the processes that generate products and to develop an understanding of what it is like to be a designer in fields such as product, engineering, architectural and communication design. The course covers how companies take design decisions, manage market research; sustain creativity, and convert ideas into tangible and successful products. The influence of new materials and manufacturing techniques are reviewed, as are issues of sustainability; and, through a series of case studies, the significance of landmark products of the past. Basic design skills such as drawing, modeling and creative thinking are described throughout the course. This material is taken from The Open University Course T211 Design and Designing.

This annual lecture, sponsored by the Medtronic Foundation, is given by an internationally-renowned scholar in the field of Biomedical Engineering. In addition to giving the lecture, the lecturer spends a week in Oxford interacting with students, including thse sponsored by Medtronic, and with academics all who are working in biomedical engineering and medicine. There is a programme of meetings and presentations which culminates in the Medtronic Lecture.

Are you aware of the environmental impacts of the stuff you buy? Is that chair you bought made from wood from a sustainable forest, or was it illegally logged ? Or perhaps your TV set's inner parts are too difficult to recycle or cause pollution when it’s dismantled at the end of its life. All this adds up to a huge amount of damage to the planet. This album looks at how designers must respond to the increasingly urgent need for sustainability in product design. Designers now need to come up with not only better, more efficient designs, but must also consider the impacts in all stages in the life cycle of a product to minimise negative social and environmental consequences. This album also reveals how new product ideas and inventions are tested before they’re turned into commercially viable products. You may also want to explore the albums "Energy and Sustainability" and "Sustainable Communities". This material is taken from the Open University Course T307 Innovation: designing for a sustainable future.

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At least 171 million people worldwide have diabetes, and this figure is set to double by 2030. This chronic condition, which occurs when the body cannot produce or effectively use the insulin it needs, can be the cause of many serious health complications leading, amongst other problems, to blindness, foot ulcers and kidney failures. This album is a must-watch for diabetes sufferers and medical staff training to work with diabetes patients. Six video tracks introduce various aspects of a patient’s diabetes annual check-up, and the accompanying 'activity' files can be used while watching the videos to increase your understanding of how to control diabetes. The main audio track gives background information on the history of diabetes and information on how patients can help to manage their own condition. This material forms part of the Open University course SK120 Diabetes care.

Podcasts celebrating 200 years since Charles Darwin was born.

Health, and the health of others, are concerns that impact us all. This album explores notions of health and happiness in relation to the lifestyles people lead and the services and support available to them. The range of information is eclectic and illuminating, offering a rare insight into societal niches from the participants themselves. From health workers to the homeless, this series of interviews and discussions emphasises the relationship between how people live their lives and the decisions they make to stay healthy. This material forms part of the Open University course KYN275 Reflecting on whole lives - diverse perspectives on health and illness.

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A crack team of Oxford University scientists investigate the hottest new science topics. Presented by Professor Marcus du Sautoy.

What causes mental distress and what can be done about it? What factors in the external environment affect mental health? This album examines the ways in which social, environmental, economic and political factors shape and constrain our understandings and experiences of mental health and distress. It explores the wide range of diverse and frequently competing perspectives that characterise the world of mental health and looks at the impact of these perspectives on mental health practice and service provision. In a set of academic perspectives, Jonathan Leach of the Open University's School of Health and Social Welfare explains why the case studies were selected, and how they fit in with the aims of the course. He also describes how he became involved in the field of mental health education. This material forms part of K225, Diverse perspectives on mental health.

Dr Alan Barr, University Lecturer in the Particle Physics group in the University of Oxford's Department of Physics, discusses particle physics.

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This series of tracks focuses on geological phenomena, Gaia theory and volcanoes. Included is a discussion on Climate Change and whether the uplift of Tibet caused global cooling. Material is taken from The Open University Course S269 Earth and Life.

Podcasts celebrating 200 years since Charles Darwin was born.

This innovative album introduces one of the biggest, and most complex, of today’s environmental problems – climate change. It features the hard-hitting, "Who Will Pay", selected as a finalist in an international film competition on "Vulnerability Exposed: The Social Dimensions of Climate Change" organised by the World Bank. This 'Earth in Crisis' album offer a sophisticated understanding of the processes and players that shape contemporary international environmental problems, evaluates what can and should be done in the future, and explores how responses to these dilemmas are intertwined with issues of development, international justice and responsibility. The eleven video tracks focus on climate change induced flooding in the delta regions of Bangladesh and in the Thames region of the UK. In the first five audio tracks, members of the Open University course team explore the main issues raised in the videos. The final three audio tracks explore some of the wider political and scientific dimensions of climate change. This material forms part of the Open University course DU311, Earth in crisis: environmental policy in an international context.

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A series of lectures for the Sutton Trust Chemistry Summer School, which gives Year 12 students a great opportunity to see what university life is really like.

Most people throw coal on the fire and put petrol in their cars without really thinking about it. But, looking at sediment deposits can reveal what type of environments created our coal and oil hundreds of millions of years ago. The five video tracks in this album examine the role of geology in determining the global distribution and availability of these valuable resources. They look at the formation of coal and how to mine it safely, the extraction of crude oil from the Athabasca oil sands and Colorado oil shale, and how we discovered reservoirs of oil in Jurassic rocks under the North Sea. This material forms part of S278, Earth's physical resources: origin, use and environmental impact.

The big issue of the 21st century is the impact burning fossil fuels is having on the global environment. This album considers what will happen when fossil fuels run out. What oil and gas resources have we got left and how can we sustain them? The two video tracks explore the connection between fossil fuels and climate change, determining that renewable energy is the only way to secure a sustainable future. This material forms part of the course S278 Earth's physical resources: origin, use and environmental impact.

Weird new possibilities emerge as we explore the nanoworld, the universe at the length scale of a billionth of a metre. Here the theory of quantum mechanics bewilders our everyday common sense, as Erwin Schrödinger famously expressed when he imagined a cat that was both dead and alive at the same time! Now Dr Simon Benjamin shows us how experts in physics, chemistry and materials science are working together to harness this strange reality. Underlying their research is the promise of building what may be the most exotic and powerful technology ever conceived: the quantum computer.

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Everyday life and the fabric of modern civilisation depend on using the Earth’s physical resources. This album explores the occurrence, availability, exploitation and sustainability of rocks and minerals. The two video tracks feature Thrislington and Divithill quarries in the north of England. Quarry and road construction managers talk about extraction and road laying processes, bulk aggregate transportation and ways to limit the impact of quarries on their surroundings. This material forms part of the course S278 Earth's physical resources: origin, use and environmental impact.

Major retailers today face a major challenge to manage and distribute goods from suppliers around the world. What systems enable big business to keep in touch with latest sales information from their stores? How are Internet and Web technologies and their associated applications used in practice? This album explores how these technologies are changing the way businesses operate internally and externally. The seven video tracks examine a Tesco supply chain and present an insider's view of web services in a variety of environments - including IVIS (creators of Tesco direct), Deutsche bank and IBM. This material forms part of the course T320, Ebusiness technologies: foundations and practice.

Weird new possibilities emerge as we explore the nanoworld, the universe at the length scale of a billionth of a metre. Here the theory of quantum mechanics bewilders our everyday common sense, as Erwin Schrödinger famously expressed when he imagined a cat that was both dead and alive at the same time! Now Dr Simon Benjamin shows us how experts in physics, chemistry and materials science are working together to harness this strange reality. Underlying their research is the promise of building what may be the most exotic and powerful technology ever conceived: the quantum computer.

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Concerned about your impact on the environment? Interested in learning how to shape a more sustainable future? This album shows you simple ways to adapt your lifestyle and how to think globally. Five video tracks demonstrate how to assess the ‘ecological footprint’ of your household, examine the effects of personal transport on the environment, and explore how your decisions as food consumers are part of a supply chain stretching across Europe and the rest of the world. They feature an energy efficient household in Oxford and pioneering work at the Eden Project and Mount Pleasant Eco Park in Cornwall. This material forms part of the Open University course U116, Environment: journeys through a changing world.

Podcasts of the Centenary of Engineering Science: 1908 - 2008. A series of Centenary Lectures in audio.

How can we provide clean, safe, environmentally-sustainable energy supplies despite rising populations and increasing demand around the world? This course provides a thorough grounding in both the theoretical and practical issues involved by first comparing and contrasting the physical and technological performance of conventional and renewable energy systems. The course then provides a basic grounding in energy modeling and cost analysis techniques. These skills are put to immediate use in a detailed feasibility study for an energy project which forms part of the course, including an assessment of the project’s longer-term technological, economic and environmental benefits. This material is taken from The Open University Course T206 Energy for a sustainable future.

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How do you see the invisible? Today, mechanical, electrical, chemical and biological engineering of ‘small worlds’ is revolutionising our lives. Atomic Force Microscopes are an important tool when creating engineering solutions on the micro and nano scale. The 4 video tracks on this album examine the AFM's engineering and operation, explain how it can be adapted for a wide range of applications and describe its use in the life sciences and semiconductor industries. This material forms part of T356 Engineering Small Worlds – Micro and Nano Technologies.

Podcasts of the Centenary of Engineering Science: 1908 - 2008. A series of Centenary Lectures in video.

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The relationship between sea and land has always been one of dynamic change. Yet, as rising sea levels threaten habitats for wildlife and humans alike, we are today more vulnerable than ever. The 11 video tracks on this album address the complexities of environmental change, focusing on the Blackwater Water Estuary in Essex where a coastal retreat scheme is in operation, managed biodiversity at Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire, and the search for sustainable forms of development along the River Severn. This material forms part of the course U216 Environment.

What is Science for?

Genetically, mountain gorillas are our closest living relatives, and also one of the world's most endangered species. Half the world's remaining population survive in the forests of Uganda. This album explores the challenges facing conservationists at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Known for its exceptional biodiversity, the Park became a major tourist destination when it opened for gorilla tourism in 1993. The problem is, because the Park lies in the heart of one of the most densely populated parts of Africa, it’s continually under threat from people, eager to use the forest's rich resources. The 13 video tracks on this album explain the ways in which conservationists are working to preserve the gorillas' natural habitat and develop quality of life for the locals. This material forms part of the course U116 Environment: Journeys Through a Changing World.

In this podcast, Professor Gero Miesenboeck begins with a discussion of DNA and neuroscience, and then talks about his experiments on the brain of the fruit fly.

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Who killed the river that runs through Los Angeles? Did you even know there was a river? Using a mix of archive and new footage , this album tells the fascinating story of a city that has ignored the benefits of its river for decades. Now waking up to the fact that it could be a green belt with more acreage than all of Central Park, river activists are fighting developers to bring back nature to central Los Angeles. Up till now the city conquered the threat of floods by concreting over the river to make it the backbone of the urban drainage system, overriding the needs of deprived local communities. But laying ever more concrete and asphalt is no longer the way to meet 21st Century environmental needs; an alternative approach to flood protection and habitat restoration is necessary. This material forms part of the Open University course U216 Environment.

Should natural resources be exploited to support economic development? In Siberia, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and contains one fifth of the world’s freshwater. It has developed over 25 million years to be a truly unique eco-system - yet this lake is now an environment at serious risk. This album focuses on the growing environmental threats to the region, which was named a World Heritage Site in 1996. Industry and new businesses flocked to the once-isolated region, inducing massive economic growth, but at what cost to the natural habitat? On top of this threat, the invasion of alien species and rising water temperatures due to global warming throw up questions, conflicts and challenges about sustainable development and how we are to manage the consequences of our actions responsibly. This material forms part of the course U216 Environment.

Professor Alexander Halliday FRS, Professor of Geochemistry, Oxford University discusses a broad range of science topics related to his background in Geochemistry, specifically using isotope geochemistry to understand the origins of planets and the present day natural behaviour of the Earth.

At heart, all environmental controversies embody ethical dilemmas. This course provides a framework for analysing and evaluating the beliefs and values that underlie environmental controversies. You will examine the strong influence of cultural traditions and dominant beliefs on our attitudes towards the natural environment and discuss the relevance of traditional ethical theories (such as utilitarianism, rights and contract theories) to environmental decisions. You will also look at some of the more recent trends in environmental ethics – deep ecology, environmental pragmatism and eco-feminism. You will then draw on these theories to explore current environmental issues and policies, such as those to do with biodiversity and global warming, in the context of sustainability. This material is taken from The Open University Course T861 Environmental Ethics.

An introduction to Chemistry at Oxford

Complex questions of environmental responsibility are increasingly raised in times of change and uncertainty. The tracks on this album illustrate the need for nurturing a fresh sense of care for our environment as well as more appropriate forms of accountability. We demonstrate the necessity of addressing issues of entitlements, rights, obligations and duties if we are to critically and carefully shape our values in doing environmental responsibility and being environmentally responsible. This material is taken from the course: TD866 Environmental responsibility: ethics, policy and action.

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This is a one-week residential course which introduces a range of practical skills appropriate to the study of environmental science. You visit a variety of sites where you apply your knowledge of biology, chemistry, earth sciences and physics to study interactions and feedback in the environment, including landforms, soils, water and vegetation. These field studies are supported by tutorials and laboratory sessions in which you analyze your observations and the data that you have gathered; the course includes an introduction to statistical analysis. This material is taken from The Open University course SXR216 Environmental Science in the Field.

An introduction to Chemistry at Oxford

In the sub-arctic environment in northern Norway and the high arctic climate of Svalbard, reindeer have adapted to their environment in different ways. The five video tracks in this album explore the key concepts of evolutionary science and investigate how these account for the characteristics of arctic reindeer. How do natural selection and other evolutionary processes produce changes in genes? How do new species originate? And how are large-scale evolutionary patterns generated. The material forms part of the course S366 Evolution.

Podcasts of the Department of Chemistry research staff talking about their recent research and future directions.

How can mathematics help us to understand the world around us? The tracks on this album take us to Antarctica, Hong Kong and New Zealand to find out how mathematicians work with scientists and biologists to create mathematical models, and how collaborations like these can help decipher and predict a range of natural phenomena. We learn how the 17th Century saw the birth of one of the most important mathematical tools - calculus, and modern mathematicians examine the contribution of its three inventors - Fermat, Newton and Leibniz. This material forms part of the Open University course MS221 Exploring mathematics.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The Sun

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How humans think, develop, and experience the world around us has been fascinating psychologists for over 100 years. The tracks in this album cover a range of case studies, looking at factors which can influence the development of our personalities. What is the impact of significant people in our early lives? How do you go about the process of researching topics like this in social psychology? The audio tracks feature disabled people who reflect on how disability has affected their sense of identity. Also featured are the cases of twins who didn't grow up together, people coping with memory loss, and the famous case of the soprano Lisa-Lee who discovered in her twenties that a rare genetic disorder meant she was actually a girl, not a boy. Studying people through such issues as gender disorder and disability allows psychologists to learn more about the human condition. This material forms part of the Open University course DSE212 Exploring psychology.

Chemistry Information Day - find out about Chemistry, studying at Oxford, the course, admissions and Oxford interviews.

Does a hospital have to be owned and managed by the same sector that provides its services? In the early 1990s, the Private Finance Initiative was the Treasury's brainwave to provide the public sector with better value for money. Designed to fund public infrastructure such as hospitals, roads and accommodation through private money from consortiums, these contentious schemes indicated a radical cultural shift towards outsourcing. The 13 video tracks in this album introduce the complexities involved in project financing from both public and private perspectives and feature case studies on Calderdale hospital in Halifax and Altcourse Prison in Fazakerly. The audio track examines the PFI and asks whether it provides a good deal for the public or if it's another profit-making venture for the private sector. This material forms part of the Open University course B821 Financial strategy.

A video introduction to Astrophysics

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This event took place on 21st October 2008 and was hosted by Hermione Cockburn, presenter of the brand-new OU/BBC series Fossil Detectives. Hermione, who has also presented Coast and Rough Science, talks about the making of Fossil Detectives and other OU/BBC series, the extraordinary fossils found in Britain, and some of our most surprising fossil-hunters. Fossil Detectives is a brand new series, produced by the prestigious BBC Natural History Unit and the Open University, which showcases Britain’s amazing wealth of fossils, what they reveal about the mysteries of life and worlds long gone.

Learn how an ordinance survey map is produced before following three ramblers on a field trip in the Peak District. This material makes up part of the course MU120 Open mathematics.

An audio introduction to Astrophysics

Have you ever wondered what causes cyclones, and why it's always calm in the centre of the storm? Well, vector calculus holds the key. The tracks on this album introduce you to the scalar and vector fields of gradient, divergence and curl. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

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Andrew Pollard on Childhood Disease

In todays world growing up is tough - making friends, fitting in, changing schools. And it's even harder for children with disabilities. This album looks at PLUS, an organisation working towards the inclusion of disabled children and young adults in social activities and organisations, encouraging friendships and fun. It looks at PLUS from the view of the children, the carers and the families. This material forms part of the course KE312 Working together for children.

Video podcasts from the Department of Biochemistry

If you’re interested in global health issues; how the body works; statistics; or the scientific rationale for common screening procedures and treatments, this course is for you. The course both teaches research skills and explores the impact of poor health through real-life case studies in seven key areas: water-related diseases; pain; alcohol; breast cancer; chronic lung disease; trauma and accidents; and visual impairment. Each case study integrates the biological, chemical, and physical sciences with psychology, health statistics, and social studies to illuminate underlying causes and personal and societal consequences. This material is taken from The Open University Course SDK125 Health Sciences.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The evolving Universe

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Who decides what should be preserved from the past as our heritage? Who is this heritage for and how should it be presented and explained? If you are passionate about any aspect of heritage, this course will enable you to understand and contribute to policy on heritage matters. The course first considers what buildings, places and things should be considered worthy of protection as ‘heritage’, including the difficulty of capturing ephemeral human experience and memories. It then reviews the process of documenting, listing, conserving and interpreting objects of heritage, focusing on the agencies involved and the decision-making process. It concludes with considering how to manage heritage sites, and how to resolve the issue of visitor participation and tourism vs conserving the authentic quality of fragile objects, buildings and places. This material is taken from The Open University Course A180 Heritage, whose heritage?.

Audio podcasts from the Department of Biochemistry

This album Investigates recent debates in sociology, cultural theory and psychoanalysis, and explores the nature of social identity, ‘socialisation’, subjectivity and personhood. The case studies explore the value and relevance of different theoretical frameworks for understanding identity by applying the main concepts in real situations. The material is taken from the Open University course D853 Identity in question.

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The convergence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has brought radical changes to the way society, organizations and individuals function and interact. Mobile phones are now ubiquitous; increasing ranges of services are being delivered to personal digital assistants (PDAs). This course gives an overview of the concepts underlying the new systems and services, such as cyborg, and offers an insight into exciting future developments in speech recognition systems, networking tools and encryption. It will enhance understanding of issues relating to design and deployment, and to enable you to fully engage in the debate that will shape our future. This material is taken from the Open University course T209 Information and communication technologies: people and interactions.

A series of lectures on Epidemiology and Public Health, given in honour of Sir Richard Doll. This seminar series is organised by the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford.

When you switch on a light or turn the heating on in your home, do you think about where that power has come from? In most of the world, we’re still burning harmful fossil fuels to create energy. However, throughout Europe a growing number of householders have decided to put the environment first, by switching to a “green tariff” with energy suppliers who can guarantee renewable, fossil fuel-free energy. This album explores the various ways in which innovative technologies - such as wind-farms, heat exchangers, photovoltaic panels and combined heat and power plants - provide the opportunity to revolutionise energy markets and turn whole communities and districts green. One town in Holland is a good example of a “suburban energy island”, where the solar-panelled buildings act as energy providers back to the main grid when they generate extra to spare. Altogether the tracks in the album inspire a new way of looking at designing modern living using a mix of technologies to ensure a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future. You can find out more about innovation in design by exploring the albums "Design and Sustainability" and "Sustainable Communities". This material is taken from the Open University course T307 Innovation: designing for a sustainable future.

This podcast series examines cancer in the developing world, and the research and work being done by Oxford University and spin-out organisations such as AfrOx and IndOx to improve cancer prevention and treatment.

Can you picture the future in a world without fossil fuels? Perhaps you think that living an "alternative" lifestyle has to mean painful and radical changes to the way you live now. This album looks at various small scale initiatives which show that living sustainably may not be as unpalatable as you might imagine. Bedzed, Findhorn, Hockerton, Samsoe Island; these are all decentralised communities at the forefront of a major social and technological experiment. In our world of finite resources and massive over-consumption, “breathing” walls, earth-shelters, composting toilets, "living machines" to deal with wastewater – are just some of the technologies which we may all have to get used to. These eco-communities are all breaking new ground by demonstrating how implementation of innovative solutions can create changes in social behaviour, so that people live in harmony with the Earth’s living systems, rather than against them. You might also wish to explore the other T307 albums "Energy and Sustainability" and "Design and Sustainability". This material forms part of the Open University Course T307 Innovation: designing for a sustainable future.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The molecular world

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Podcasts from the Medical Research Council Functional Genomics Unit (FGU) at the University of Oxford. The FGU consists of five interacting groups who are using genetics and genomic approaches in model organisms to understand the function of genes involved in human neuromuscular and neurological diseases in order to develop novel therapeutic approaches.

What does it mean to be poor, or an immigrant? What form should Aid take? This album begins to explore the complex issues of international development in a globalised world, starting with a look at schemes which attempt to alleviate poverty. Small business owners are empowered by micro-financing in Glasgow, while in Argentina a disastrous economic collapse has led to people taking matters into their own hands by creating an alternative social exchange currency. Migrant communities, such as Greek Cypriots and Ethiopians in London, and Sierra Leoneans in Liverpool, have a chance to reveal the issues they’ve faced; while in the audio tracks we hear from experts who are working to expand the contribution that African migrants abroad can make to Africa’s development. Finally, a Chinese "beer pioneer" and China trade experts discuss China’s membership of the World Trade Organisation. To complete the album, Dr Helen Yanacopulos of the Open University's Development Policy and Practice unit explains the choice of some of the case studies, and unpicks some of the issues that emerge. This material is taken from the Open University course TU871 Development: context and practice.

David Weatherall on Molecular Medicine

International development in its many manifestations presents the world with some of its most pressing challenges, most of them centered around problems of inequality and poverty. The first section of this course examines ideas about inequality at local and global levels, placing issues in their historical context. There is then the opportunity to study poverty and inequality in more depth, looking at conceptualizations of poverty, how to measure poverty, poverty as lived experience, and different kinds of action on poverty. Other topics offer the opportunity to study economic, social and political transition; sustainable livelihoods vs environmental sustainability; the role of technology in enabling or constraining development; and finally, international migration, development displacement, transnational NGO responses and urbanization. This material is taken from The Open University Course U213 International Developments.

Genomics

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Have you ever thought about how far the contents of your supermarket basket have travelled to get to you, how this impacts on our planet’s systems? It's no secret that climate change is caused by our over-dependence on fossil fuels...so what can we do about it? This is an album with a difference; YOU get the chance to find out how YOUR personal shopping choices are affecting the climate. How addicted to fossil fuels are you? Using the interactive video feature, start off on track 2 and follow the easy instructions at the end of each of the next 12 tracks. You may be surprised! Video tracks 14-17 visit an eco-house with a compostable toilet and a green community in Hockerton. Audio tracks 18-20 explore the microscopic activity inside a compost heap, debate the role of blood sports for pest control, and give tips on how to write about science. This material is from the Open University Course Y161 Introducing environment.

Most women share a common fear - breast cancer. From the age of 53, they are invited by their GP to have a mammogram - a procedure that screens the breast for any abnormalities. But many women don't understand what this involves. The 3 video tracks on this album explain why it is important to have a mammogram, hear from women being screened, show the processes involved and demonstrate what happens should an abnormality be found. This material forms part of the Open University course SDK125, Introducing health sciences: a case study approach.

An interview with psychologist Jennifer Lau on understanding anxiety and depression in children.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) is an extremely debilitating disease. For the sufferer, everyday activities become impossible - from walking to the shops, to cleaning their teeth - because they can't get enough oxygen into their lungs. The 4 video tracks on this album look at the possible causes of COPD, how it is diagnosed, and the inspirational stories of people dealing with the disease. This material forms part of the Open University course SDK125, Introducing health sciences: a case study approach.

Thomas Helleday on Cancer

We are all likely to experience pain at some stage in our lives. But, how do you deal with constant, chronic pain? Learning to manage severe pain on a daily basis takes a phenomenal amount of mental and physical strength. The 7 video tracks in this album introduce patients and doctors at the Royal Free Hospital's Pain Clinic and the Real Health Institute in London. They explore the causes of pain, the changes it brings to the lives of sufferers and the ways in which drugs, surgery, physiotherapy and cognitive therapies can help control it. This material forms part of the course SDK125, Introducing health sciences: a case study approach.

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Until recently it has been difficult to obtain reliable objective information from normal subjects and patients regarding their subjective pain experience. Relating specific neurophysiologic markers to perceptual changes induced by sensitisation, behavioural or pharmacological mechanisms and identifying their site of action within the CNS has been a major goal for scientists, clinicians and the pharmaceutical industry. With the advent of functional neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and electroencephalography (EEG) this has been made feasible.

Traumatic injury causes millions of deaths and disabilities globally. How does the body react to tissue damage and what are the psychological effects of injury? The six video tracks in this album present a range of powerful and moving case studies and show how access to emergency and longer-term care can help. We find out how falls affect the elderly, what injuries motorcycle accidents can cause, and how a victim of the 2005 London underground bombings has learned to cope with mental trauma. This material forms part of the Open University course SDK125, Introducing health sciences: a case study approach.

Partial or total loss of sight affects millions of people worldwide. Many cases are preventable or curable, but simple interventions are not available in some poorer countries. The 15 video tracks in this album explore the impact of visual impairment and corrective treatments. Derek Child explains how he learned to adapt to losing his sight and the training that helps him stay mobile and independent. Experts from Contamac reveal the science behind lens production. The Good Health Train brings basic health care to poor communities in rural South Africa, where locals live without access to treatments for common problems like cataract surgery. This material forms part of SDK125: Introducing health sciences: a case study approach.

Christopher Fairburn on the Treatment of Eating Disorders

This series of tracks looks at several aspects of health work including child protection services, hospitals and mental health providers with an aim to explaining everyday practices and ideas for the future. Material is taken from The Open University Course K114 Introducing professional practice.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Eutrophication

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Why study religion? An understanding of the world’s religious traditions is crucial in helping us to appreciate not just the varied forms of belief and practice that we encounter at home, abroad and in the media, but also the influence that religion has on world affairs. This course offers an introduction to the study of religions, and in particular to six major religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, including the various roles of their founders and leaders, their texts, rituals, practices and behaviors. This practical insight will enable you to develop a better understanding of different beliefs and worldviews and what these mean to their adherents. This material is taken from The Open University Course A217 Introducing Religions.

Lectures and seminars from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford. The OII is a leading world centre for multidisciplinary research and teaching on the social factors that are shaping the Internet, and their implications for society. Areas covered by our podcasts include: social networking, Internet regulation, safety and security online, e-government and democracy, civil society, open access, identity, e-learning, citizen journalism and new media, and the future of the Internet itself.

This series of tracks looks at Health and Fitness centres and how they are run as well as providing an insight into the training of future elite athletes in Britain. Material is taken from The Open University Course E112 Introduction to sport, fitness and management.

Lectures and seminars from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford. The OII is a leading world centre for multidisciplinary research and teaching on the social factors that are shaping the Internet, and their implications for society. Areas covered by our podcasts include: social networking, Internet regulation, safety and security online, e-government and democracy, civil society, open access, identity, e-learning, citizen journalism and new media, and the future of the Internet itself.

How does music help to engage disaffected or disadvantaged young people? How can taking to the streets help build rapport with the youth community? This album is packed with positive examples of youths who've turned their lives around with the help of youth workers. At Madcap Arts they build self-esteem through making music, and The Factory street project meets young people on their own ground and offers a chance for personal growth through exciting activities and teamwork. The tracks offer views from all perspectives, and the audio commentaries provide a clear overview, exploring what makes projects work successfully. The material on this album forms part of the Open University course E131 Introduction to working with young people.

This course is designed to stimulate informed debate about the role of Islam in western societies. Issues explored include the diversity of western Muslim populations and leaders; the role of the media; Muslim education and social and political engagement; and the politics of multiculturalism. Controversial Muslim intellectual, Tariq Ramadan provides a challenging insider’s perspective on the issues discussed, plus other interviews with authors, critics and Muslim community leaders. The course will be of particular relevance to teachers, social workers, police and health professionals. This material is taken from The Open University Course AD252 Islam in the West: the Politics of Co-existence.

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Archaeology is primarily a visual, social and cultural subject; in these interviews archaeologists discuss their lives in archaeology and their particular fields of interest. The interviews convey the excitement felt by teaching staff and students from the School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford as they reflect upon the multifaceted nature of the study of archaeology today.

This series of tracks looks at addiction and ageing and examines whether the brains' chemical make up is responsible for our tendency to age, or become an addict. Material is taken from The Open University Course SD805 Issues in Brain and Behaviour.

The legacy of apartheid in South Africa left people in urban townships and rural areas without access to basic communication technology that defines the digital age. Today, the latest mobile phone technology has changed everything. To reach the poorest communities, the government has had to adapt the technology and build new commercial partnerships. The six video tracks in this album introduce the size of the challenge, government policy and initiatives and the businesses that benefit. This material forms part of the course T324, Keeping Ahead in ICT.

The Oxford Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is the focal point for entrepreneurship research, teaching and networking at Oxford University.

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It is commonplace now to say that the world has gone global. Whenever we buy food and clothes, listen to music, or watch the news, we can see how different parts of the world, often thousands of miles apart, are connected together. Is this a good or a bad thing? This innovative course shows that the way we respond will reshape the world and its geography. Using case studies, the course explores issues as diverse as sweatshops, exploitation, climate change, international humanitarian disasters, migration, and the need for both personal and geographical boundaries in this brave new world. This material is taken from The Open University Course DD205 Globalised World.

El curso explica el fundamento de las pruebas serológicas aplicables al diagnóstico de las enfermedades infecciosas: componentes de las reacciones, descripción paso a paso, explicados de forma animada y con sonido e imágenes de los resultados finales de las reacciones.

A lecture series of basic business skills, Building a Business covers good business practice with a focus on science entrepreneurship. It is designed around technological enterprise but most course material is relevant to general business practice.

How does living with disability and chronic illness impact on a person's quality of life? What are the consequences of physical limitations and treatment regimes? The tracks on his album explore real-life case studies in a variety of care environments. From domestic homes to residential and hospital settings, we explore physical, social and psychological impacts and investigate the extent to which care environments are enabling or disabling. The album also contains a fictional case study which explores some of the issues facing people who are carers in their own homes. To complete the album, Joanna Bornat and Jan Walmsley of the Open University's Faculty of Health and Social Care explain why some of the case studies were selected for study and unpick some of the issues that emerge. This material forms part of the Open University course K101, An introduction to health and social care.

This course addresses how individuals operate in social worlds, how social experience is shaped, and made meaningful through culture. Social worlds are a basic psychological requirement which enable people to feel secure, develop attachment to others, and regulate their conduct. The course seeks to establish the nature of social worlds; how they are ordered and sustained; how they change and under what sorts of circumstances they disintegrate. A case-study of apartheid passbooks shows how such documents can allow the ‘recognition’ of some individuals but exclude others. This material is taken from The Open University course DD308 Making Social Worlds.

Discussions between experts on forced migration issues, interviews with refugees and other displaced people and lectures at the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford Department of International Development.

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Maps are an intrinsic feature of the modern world - they hold both intellectual and aesthetic qualities. But how and why were the first maps created? The idea of mapping leads on to questions in society - how do we all link together? The tracks on this album focus on mapping and the importance of it, but also on the idea of the city, and what actually determines whether makes an impact on the world. The material forms part of the course DD100, An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change.

Video podcasts from the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society, an independent institution affiliated with the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford.

Visiting a hospital you'd expect to find doctors and nurses, but what about mathematicians? This album illustrates how mathematics is used throughout the Whittington Hospital in London, as well as in every day life. This material forms part of the course MU120 Open mathematics.

What was it like living and working in the largest mental deficiency hospital in Britain? And what changes led to its relatively recent closure? In it's heyday in the 1970s, Lennox Castle Hospital in Scotland housed over 1600 patients in purpose built multi-occupancy villas, and most staff lived on site or in nearby Lennoxtown. Oral historian Howard Mitchell started his working life there, as a member of the hospital's nursing staff. In the tracks on this album, he looks back at the history of the hospital, and talks to former patients and staff about their experiences during and after their time at Lennox Castle. He also reflects on the responsibilities of oral historians when gathering such personal testimonies. To complete the album, Professor Joanna Bornat of the Open University's Faculty of Health and Social Care explains why the case study was selected for study and unpicks some of the issues that emerge. The material forms part of the Open University course K101, An introduction to health and social care.

Podcasts from the Centre of Socio-Legal Studies

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The cleaning up of the North American Great Lakes is one of the great success stories in pollution control. Modelling gives scientists the tools to forecast outcomes in a complex environment: how will the pollution accumulate? what will happen if pollution is stopped all together? The two video tracks on this album demonstrate how modelling techniques provide a scientific basis for the political decisions that have revived the area. The material forms part of course MSXR209 Mathematical Modelling.

This course extends language skills and cultural knowledge. By working with authentic material from German-speaking countries, you will learn how to communicate in a wide range of situations: expressing opinions; reporting other people’s comments; explaining processes and trends; electronic communications; structured notes and texts. Cultural themes explored include changing demographic and social patterns; jobs and the role of work; German media and arts; issues of faith and personal beliefs; and issues in recent Germany history. There is an integrated residential school which takes place in Germany. . This material is taken from The Open University Course L203 Motive: Upper Intermediate German.

Films about the situation of forced migrants worldwide produced by partner organisations of Forced Migration Online (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford Department of International Development).

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Podcasts from the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society, an independent institution affiliated with the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford.

What are museums for? In this album we look behind the displays to reveal the conflicting roles, power struggles and ethical dilemmas that affect museums today. Once the undisputed sources of authority on the objects in their care, museums now have to justify their decisions to the government, to their audiences, sometimes even to vociferous pagans. The challenge is to reach out to new audiences and devise new ways of communicating with them. The rewards are many: to maintain status and respect, to win hearts and influence people, even to foster a warm sense of nationhood. This album also contains academic perspectives from Tim Benton, Professor of Art History at the Open University; Laurajane Smith, Reader in Heritage Studies at the University of York; and Rodney Harrison, Lecturer in Heritage Studies at the Open University. This material forms part of the Open University Course AD281 Understanding global heritage. You can discover something of what it's like to study the course by using the downloadable 'activities' files to explore different views on what counts as heritage, the way in which museums are involved in the production of a sense of collective identity and nationhood, and how the study of museums connects with the study of other forms of heritage in contemporary society.

Today, listening to music is easy - we have CDs, MP3s, radio, television and the internet. But around a hundred years ago life was very different - either you had to play music yourself or have someone else play it for you. The 15 video tracks in this album demonstrate various ways to play music by mechanical means, with the ingenious use of levers, pegs, cylinders or paper rolls, and explain the principles used to create and control these music-making machines. This material forms part of TA212 Technology of Music.

Podcasts of seminars and events held at the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, University of Oxford.

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From the middle of the 15th century onwards, the intellectual and cultural life of the West was revolutionised by the development of the printing press. This album explores the technological problems and solutions specific to the printing of music and shows how technology has transformed the way music scores are produced today. The five video tracks examine early music printing processes, 20th century photo lithography and the invention Sibelius, the music programme that changed everything. This material forms part of TA212 Technology of Music.

Audio Podcasts from the University of Oxford African Studies Centre

How do your ears work and what kind of sound levels can damage your hearing? The five video tracks in this album explain basic concepts such as units of noise, sound insulation and noise control. Car manufacturers like Lexus have developed the quiet car, but this kind of technology benefits the driver, not the people living beside busy roads. Locals from a Derbyshire village explain how the construction of the A50 has affected their lives. The Transport Research Laboratory analyses tyre noise on road surfaces in order to create a definitive report on the state of Britain's roads. This material forms part of T308 Environmental monitoring, modelling and control.

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This series of tracks describes the everyday working of the Science Museum in Paris. They look at the way the exhibits are created, displayed and stored as well as giving an insight into creating and maintaining interest in key areas. Material is taken from The Open University Course L310 Nouvelles mises au point.

Podcasts of Law lectures, and other videos not relating to specific courses, presented by the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford.

The Severn Valley Railway is one of Britain's best known steam railways. Over much of its length, there is only a single track, with passing points at various points along the line. As with any commercial rail operation, the timetable needs to meet passenger needs and health and safety requirements. The five video tracks in this album follow the work of railway employees as they monitor and develop the service to suit passenger demand and ensure safety systems are in place. The material forms part of the course MU120 Open Mathematics.

Now in its eighth year, Silicon Valley Comes to Oxford bridges two world centres of ideas to explore the big issues and future directions of innovation and entrepreneurial phenomena in a vibrant and fast paced mix of masterclasses, tutorials, panel debates and networking events. The leading European entrepreneurship forum, pioneered by the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, brings business leaders and luminaries from across Silicon Valley to Oxford for a period of focused interaction with faculty, research and student members of Oxford University and the British entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This course revises and consolidates your knowledge of French and teaches more advanced language skills whilst offering insights into many aspects of every day life in modern France. Your knowledge need not be formal; it could come from adult education classes, time spent in French-speaking countries, regular contact with French-speaking people or other sources. The course materials are carefully designed to develop the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. They also contain activities focusing on practicing language structures, grammatical explanations and learning strategies. This material is taken from The Open University Course L120 Ouverture: Intermediate French.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Introduction to active galaxies

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What's it like working as an engineer, and what career opportunities are available? On this album, 6 practicing engineers talk about the work they do and the career path they have followed. This material forms part of the Open University course T191 Personal and career development in engineering.

These online audio resources consist of lectures, seminars and interviews from the School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford.

Philosophy and philosophical enquiries are relevant in some shape or form to many aspects of everyday life, for example our treatment of the environment, the rapidity of today's technological progress, whether animals should have rights and if so how they should compare to ours. Philosophy also encompasses questions about the existence of God, how life is sustained on earth, and even at what point should the Government intrude on a person's freedom. This album introduces the study of philosophy and the human situation, and contains talks and debates from leading philosophical thinkers and teachers, past and present. This material forms part of the Open University course A211 Philosophy and the human situation.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Icy bodies: Europa and elsewhere

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Governments across the world have to make controversial decisions everyday. Whether it be raising taxes, cutting budgets or going to war, there will always be opposition. The tracks on this album look at how governments make decisions, form policies and sometimes manipulate information to help their cause. The four video tracks focus on the GM debate. Audio tracks investigate how spin was used during the lead up to the war on Iraq, and explore protest and environmental action by the public in relation to issues of toxic and nuclear waste. In the final three of the audio tracks, course team member Andy Dobson explains why these topics were chosen for this course, and unpicks some of the issues that emerge. The material forms part of the course DD203 Politics.

Video podcasts from the annual Business and the Environment conference, held at the Said Business School, University of Oxford

This series of clips covers a variety of issues about Spanish culture and society. Material is taken from The Open University Course L194 Portales: beginners' Spanish.

A podcast series about the credit crunch and global recession featuring Oxford academics. This series will examine how the current crisis developed, analyse market and government responses to it, and look at what might happen next.

The Open University's researcher in volcanoes, Hazel Rymer explains why the Poás volcano in Costa Rica is her favourite, and how evidence form previous experiments there has lead her to believe there may be an environmental crisis - similar to one in the 1990's - on it's way. There have been changes in gravity above Poás, and Hazel talks us through some experiments she will be undertaking in the future.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Vaccination

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This masters level science course aims to give you an understanding of the application of physics to the techniques of radiotherapy, one of the key weapons in the fight against cancer. It is designed to enable you to develop a broad and balanced appreciation of this area of contemporary medicine, rather than a detailed ‘professional’ knowledge. The course explains the principles of applying basic physics to radiotherapy in dosimetry, external and internal treatment methods, treatment planning and radiation protection. You’ll also study radiobiology and consider the effects of ionising radiation on biological tissues. By the end of the course, your understanding of these topics will enable you to discuss confidently the ethical, social and financial constraints in delivering radiotherapy. This material is taken from The Open University Course S819 Radiotherapy and its Physics.

Podcasts of the Distinguished Speaker Series from the Said Business School

The coexistence of multiple religious communities has been a source of both opposition and diversity since the very foundation of human civilization. This album explores the interaction of competing communities in compelling depth, highlighting periods and cities that experienced turbulence, and occasionally harmony, from such an intermingling of beliefs and ideas. A huge historical range, from the very beginnings of early Christianity to modern-day Africa, is rigorously examined in cultural, social and ideological terms. This material forms part of the Open University course AA307 Religion in history: conflict, conversion and coexistence.

Voices from Oxford features interviews with staff and students at the University. The inspiration for Voices from Oxford came from Alastair Cooke's famous 'Letter from America', broadcast for many years by the BBC. Like that programme, we take an event, a story, or a person in the news and build a broadcast around that.

Religion is a powerful force in today’s world, as almost any newspaper or news broadcast will make clear. Inextricably linked with nationalism, popular culture, social norms and the lives of individuals, it touches almost every area of public and private life. This course examines many of the most exciting and controversial issues in religion today, including the impact of globalisation/Evangelicalism, feminism and environmentalism, and whether secularisation might mean the eventual death of religious practices and institutions, or whether New Age, Wicca and other alternative spiritualities might become the new face of post-modern religion. This material is taken from The Open University Course AD317 Religion today: tradition, modernity and change.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Animals at the extremes: the desert environment

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On December 28th 1879, the Tay Bridge collapsed as a train passed over it, killing all 75 passengers on board. At the time of this tragedy, the Tay Bridge was the longest bridge in the world, and to this day the accident remains the worst structural disaster the UK has ever seen. This album attempts to unlock the mystery of this catastrophe, through several plausible explanations and expert opinions. This material forms part of the course T173 Engineering the future.

Voices from Oxford features interviews with staff and students at the University. The inspiration for Voices from Oxford came from Alastair Cooke's famous 'Letter from America', broadcast for many years by the BBC. Like that programme, we take an event, a story, or a person in the news and build a broadcast around that.

How does an ice skater rotate so effortlessly on ice? What are the forces at play? How do they keep spinning? And more importantly, how do they stop? The tracks on this album use a variety of sports ranging from Ice Skating to the Highland Games to illustrate the nature of rotating bodies, looking in turn at torques, angular momentum and the moment of inertia. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

This course is about law and legal reasoning. It begins by looking at how rules develop within a society and how laws are made, interpreted, and applied. You will be introduced to the nature and function of rules and law, to the distinctiveness of legal reasoning, and to the way in which law both responds to social phenomena and contributes to the development of different social, business and economic institutions. It then moves on to look at the concepts of legal personality, unlawful conduct and states of mind. The course explores civil and criminal sanctions; issues raised by human rights legislation; and the concepts of rights and justice. It will be of particular interest as preparation for a law degree, but will also provide an excellent introduction to the study of other subjects which require general familiarity with the judicial system. The course deals principally with the law of England and Wales. This material is taken from The Open University Course W100 Rules, rights and justice: an introduction to law.

The Sidney Ball Memorial Lectures were established after the First World War in memory of Sidney Ball who was a philosophy fellow at St John's College, Oxford. Sidney Ball was both a political radical and 'an energetic university reformer' concerned that contemporary social and economic problems should be studied at Oxford.

This series of clips looks at speaking, pronunciation and listening practice on the theme of Food and Drink. Material is taken from The Open University Course L193 Rundblick: beginners' German.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Animals at the extremes: hibernation and torpor

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Hot air balloon rides have become a popular celebration treat. But do they really just drift with the wind? Investigate the meticulous planning needed for round-the-world flights. Learn how journeys are monitored and measured, and discover how pilots merge mathematics and geography while high above the ground. This material forms part of the course MU120 Open mathematics.

Public Lectures and Seminars from the James Martin 21st Century School, University of Oxford. Humanity at the crossroads: Bringing together the best minds to tackle the toughest challenges of the 21st century.

How does an aircraft without an engine stay up in the air? What factors affect a glider's performance and how far it can travel? Scientific experiments with gliders have been carried out since the 1930’s, particularly with relation to design. Mathematical modelling is used to make and refine gliders that perform as well as possible. The 8 video tracks on this album describe some of the highly mathematical concepts used by pilots, such as glide angle, the ‘best speed to fly’, and the intricacies of competition flying. The principles of gliding are described with the help of 3D graphics and archive film. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

Podcasts from the annual Business and the Environment Conference held at the Said Business School, University of Oxford

How do you go about designing an aircraft that has no engine? What forces enable a glider to become airborne and quickly reach high altitudes quickly? The tracks in this album look at the aerodynamics of gliders, ask questions relating to the 'Speed to Fly', and explores the consequences of kinetic and potential energy change, providing a useful way of modelling the behaviour of a glider in the air. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Animals at the extremes: polar biology

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Podcasts from the Department of Politics and International relations and its centres.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The three-way catalytic converter

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Audio from The Skoll World Forum, held at the Said Business School, University of Oxford

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Iron transport and storage

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These online audio resources consist of lectures, seminars and interviews from the Transport Studies Unit at the University of Oxford.

Issues surrounding care and welfare affect people in many different ways - it may depend on individual circumstances or on the location and nature of the community. The tracks on this album look at welfare issues faced by different communities across the UK, focusing mainly on care of the elderly, and people with physical or mental disabilities. The album also explores how care and welfare in the community has changed over the years. The material forms part of the course K202, Care, welfare and community.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Birth of a drug

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The Dean's Podcast - Colin Mayer, Said Business School

Would you consider a dilapidated seventies tower block as heritage? In England, some social housing developments have already been given listed status, a level of protection usually associated with castles, monasteries and stately homes. Others are considered as a failed experiment by an outmoded welfare state, fit only for demolition. In this album, we see working class residents of one such estate fighting for its survival. By doing so, they may be challenging some of our fundamental assumptions and preconceptions about heritage. The album also contains academic perspectives from Rodney Harrison, Lecturer in Heritage Studies at the Open University; and Alan Powers, Professor in Architecture and Cultural History at the University of Greenwich. This material forms part of the Open University Course AD281 Understanding global heritage. You can discover something of what it's like to study the course by using the downloadable 'activities' files to explore post-war housing and its conservation as part of the ‘canon’ of heritage, the ways in which decisions are made about which buildings are conserved as heritage and which are not, the relationship between heritage and a ‘sense of place', and heritage as a form of social and political action.

What are the Social Sciences? One definition is that they are specialised systematic forms of knowledge, which leads the question: What is knowledge? Through discussions with powerful and responsible social scientists, the tracks on this album focus on the history of social science, how they are shaping the world as we know it, and the differences between scientific and religious knowledge. The material forms part of the course DD100, An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change.

Interviews and Commentaries from the James Martin 21st Century School, including Institute overviews and director interviews.

Math can be applied to pretty much everything in existence, and music is of no exception. Across this album, The Open University's Alan Graham shares his wealth of knowledge on the relationship between music and math, demonstrates many easy-to-follow theories and examples, and performs several pieces of traditional music with his band Betty's Kitchen. This material forms part of the Open University course MU120 Open mathematics.

How many times have you used mathematics today? Starting with Maths takes a detailed look into the history behind numbers and how mathematics has evolved into something we use in everyday life. We hear the experiences of people who rely heavily on accurate calculations for the success of their jobs. In addition to this we look into the lives of 12 OU students as they explain how studying makes them feel ‘on top of the world’. This material forms part of the course: Y162 Starting with maths.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The Big Bang

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The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment is aimed at understanding and pioneering ways for private enterprise, government, and academia to work toward solutions to the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

The Kinzua rail viaduct, in Pennsylvania, collapsed when it was hit by a tornado in 2003. First built in 1882 and redesigned 1900, it was at one time the highest bridge in the world. The two video tracks in this album tell the story of the Kinzua catastrophe. The subsequent forensic investigation has cast new light on the failure of Tay rail bridge in Scotland 125 years earlier; with 75 people killed, the worst ever disaster to befall a trestle bridge. This material forms part of the course T357, Structural integrity: designing against failure.

How is safety built into the design of new structures? What sort of tests are used to ascertain the safety of proposed designs? Structural integrity, the study of the safe design and assessment of materials and structures under load, has become crucial in engineering design. Concepts within stress analysis have wide applicability, as there are very few manufactured components and products that do not experience any loading during their life. The tracks on this album demonstrate a selection of specialised tests designed to tell us about the behaviour of materials under certain conditions. They also show how failure assessment can be used to obtain information as to why a component or structure failed, to better inform future designs. This material forms part of the course T357, Structural integrity: designing against failure.

The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment is aimed at understanding and pioneering ways for private enterprise, government, and academia to work toward solutions to the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit An introduction to biological systematics

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The 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River was an engineering mystery and a human tragedy - 46 people died. Why did a suspension bridge built to last a century not make 40 years? Built in 1928, it was a slimmer version of similar bridges built in nearby Pittsburgh. The slimming down was deemed to be safe because of the use of a tougher steel and ‘silver coloured anticorrosion paint’. The tracks in this album look at the factors which led to the catastrophic failure of one of the eyebars which supported the deck, and the subsequent forensic investigation which led to the creation of the National Bridge Inspection Standards to inspect the 1 million bridges of the USA. This material forms part of the course T357, Structural integrity: designing against failure.

From robot surgery to nation-wide hunts for stripy snails via Michael Faraday, the Open University's new podcast series caters to all tastes. Take-Away Science is about anything and everything interesting in science. Featuring interviews with practising scientists at the cutting edge of research, television science presenters and students starting out on their degrees, the OU Science Faculty bring their unique perspective on science today to you with each episode. Each interview is recorded by OU staff and the podcast is hosted by Rough Science's Dr Mike Bullivant. These podcasts are brought to you by the Open University's BLAST! project: http://blast.open.ac.uk

Building upon Oxford University's 800-year history of educating world changing leaders, the Saïd Business School seeks to develop the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs. We offer a broad range of business-related degree programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level and also executive education taught courses. Studying at Oxford University and the Saïd Business School is an unforgettable and life-changing experience. Hopefully some of the videos in this channel will give you more of a flavour of what life is like for our students.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Evolution: artificial selection and domestication

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Effective teachers use a variety of strategies and activities to engage their pupils with learning in school. These short dramas show three teachers' attempts to make learning more relevant and motivating for their pupils; 'Anything for School' and 'The Music Teacher' show classroom lessons whilst 'Plantain Seller' takes place at school sports day. The clips in this album are designed to be used to support the development of teachers' classroom practice in both formal and non formal learning situations. This material is from the TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub Saharan Africa) initiative. This work is licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Many classrooms across Africa have few items of specialist equipment or materials. But imaginative teachers are able to draw on local resources from their communities to enrich their pupils' learning experiences. These short dramas portray how different teachers are using local resources and invite discussion on the advantages and challenges of such approaches. The clips in this album are designed to be used to support the development of teachers' classroom practice in both formal and non formal learning situations. This material is from the TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub Saharan Africa) initiative. This work is licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

These online audio resources consist of lectures, seminars and interviews from the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University. Topics include: climate change, energy, tropical forestry, environmental governance and general topics related to environmental change.

It has been said that arches never sleep, that they are almost living in the way they adapt to change. Using case studies of Ely Cathedral in England and Chartres in France, the tracks on this album examine the way in which the design of arches developed in the early middle ages, and use mathematical models to explore some of the problems faced and overcome by the stone masons. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

Podcasts for research centres based at the Said Business School, University of Oxford

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Nucleic acids and chromatin

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How does your body control your breathing unconsciously? This album explores this complex process in fascinating detail using a battery of detectors attached to human guinea-pigs to monitor their breathing, blood flow and heartbeats. How does an anxious mind affect this system during a stressful situation? Whether stress is physical or emotional, the ancient “fight or flight” response is triggered. Physiologically, this can lead to the stress-related diseases which are getting more common in the West, so track 3 looks at the Eastern tradition of yoga, which recognises that controlling the breath is key to retaining health of mind as well as body. The audio track uses the case study of a primary school teacher monitored over the course of a day, revealing that some stress might be good for you; and experts shed light on the significance of stress using studies of baboons. This material forms part of the Open University course SK277 Human biology.

How do you get to be one of the great operatic divas? Catherine Rogers might just have what it takes to be a famous opera singer, but she still has lots of work to do. This album gives us an insight into the immense effort it requires to become a musical performer. As well as singing, acting, language, and stage skills all need to be honed. Catherine tackles the tragic aria of the Countess in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and is praised by her tutors. In the audio track Elaine Moohan from the Music Department at the Open University unpicks some of the issues emerging from Catherine's story, and suggests that it's not good for one's reputation to develop a diva-like personality! This material forms part of the Open University course, A100 The arts past and present.

In July 2008 the Future of Humanity Institute hosted a number of leading experts on different global catastrophic risks. The conference provided delegates with an overview of the key risks, and the state of current thinking on each of them. It brought scholars together from many different disciplines to discuss the common problems and methodologies which affect the study of global catastrophic risks.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Achieving public dialogue

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Do we use our buildings to declare who we are? How far does our heritage influence our collective identity? This insightful album reveals Ireland's shifting attitudes towards its cultural heritage. In 1922 when it broke free of British rule to become an independent nation state, the Irish nationalists abandoned high-profile buildings like Dublin Castle as it was symbolic of their British oppressors, and it fell into ruin. Yet they proudly restored older sites like Cashel and New Grange, which is even older than the pyramids, to emphasise an earlier romantic Irish past. In doing so they literally reconstructed their new identity through obliterating the memories they didn't want to keep and reinforcing those they did. Today, with the passing of time and after joining the EU, the neglected buildings no longer provoke associations with a painful colonial history. St Mary's Church is now appreciated as a bar as well as a work of art. Ireland has moved on, and now embraces all of its heritage. In the audio track, Anne Lawrence, a History Professor at the Open University, elaborates on the issues addressed in the album. This material is drawn from the Open University course AA100 The arts past and present.

How can we read an image to tell us more about its ancient maker? In this album a mosaic artist, Catherine Parkinson, visits the splendidly-preserved ancient Roman mosaics at Brading Villa on the Isle of Wight. With the help of two archaeologists she discovers that the iconography reveals important clues about the villa inhabitants' world view, taste, and aspirations. Their leisure pursuits, the value placed on learning, and their views on men and women are just some of the themes revealed in the mythological narratives. Did the craftsmen bring pattern books to the villa owner so he could choose how to decorate his house, much like today? Catherine's own practical experience of mosaic-making also helps us understand the methods the Romans used to lay the mosaics. In the audio track, Open University classicist Jessica Hughes explores some of the issues surrounding interpretation of these mosaics' meanings. This material forms part of the Open University Course AA100 The arts and past and present.

In July 2008 the Future of Humanity Institute hosted a number of leading experts on different global catastrophic risks. The conference provided delegates with an overview of the key risks, and the state of current thinking on each of them. It brought scholars together from many different disciplines to discuss the common problems and methodologies which affect the study of global catastrophic risks.

The Future Internet is a European initiative which combines over 80 projects with a combined value of over 500M Euros. This video was created within the EU Framework 7 Service Web 3.0 project.

The Galapagos Islands are famous for inspiring Charles Darwin to form his Theory of Evolution based on the biodiversity he'd observed there. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of his "On the origin of species", and the unspoilt islands still fascinate researchers. Some of the plants and animals that live here are found nowhere else on Earth. Today that biodiversity is under threat from an increasing population, tourism and invasive non-native species. The video tracks on this album retraces Darwin's first steps on the Galapagos islands, looks at some of the species that fascinated him, and at how threats to the environment are being managed. It also follows the day-to-day research of two biological scientists - Beatrix Schramm, who tries to get a faecal sample from a Giant Tortoise to learn more about what triggers them to mate, and Martin Wikelski who studies marine iguanas and the problems they face as a result of their choice of food. In the audio track, Open University biologist David Robinson talks about his long relationship with the Galapagos Islands and explores some of the issues raised in the video tracks.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The MMR vaccine: public health, private fears

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Podcast of lectures on "The Politics and Government of Germany" at the University of Oxford, held in Hilary Term 2007

This series of tracks looks at evidence of geological change in the field. Using examples in the UK and the USA they examine how geologists can map past activity from geological evidence. Material is taken from The Open University Course S369 The geological record of environmental change.

These short files together form a lecture delivered by Dr Chris A Williams in 2008 to the Bishopsgate Institute. The topic is the history of the police control room in the UK, and it explains where the 999 system came from. It's been put here as an experiment with the medium, and it's a (slightly edited) recording of a live lecture rather than a studio talk.

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is Oxford University's international research centre in the comparative study of news media.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Science promotion

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2009 is the 40th anniversary of the first computer network - the precursor of the internet - and the 20th anniversary of the brilliant idea that led to the creation of the world wide web. What exactly is the internet, and how does it differ from the world wide web? Who were its pioneers, and what technological surprises has it sprung? This album opens with a specially recorded interview with John Naughton, Professor of the Public Understanding of Technology at the Open University and author of 'A brief history of the future - the origins of the internet'. He explores some of the key moments in the short but spectacular history of an extraordinary phenomenon, the people who made them happen, and some of the problems that have emerged. The album also features archive interviews with Tim Berners-Lee, Vint Cerf, Donald Davies and other pioneers of the internet age, recorded in the late 1990s. The album is completed by a newly recorded interview with Rodney Harrison, lecturer in Heritage Studies at the Open University, in which he talks about his research into Second Life: Cyber-Archaeologies, Heritage and Virtual Communities. The interviews are presented by radio journalist Penny Boreham.

This album tackles the complex relationships social workers experience in the wide spectrum of their work, from those with families affected by social deprivation to those with judges, lawyers and other members of the legal system. The tracks analyse the role of the family in Scottish life in relation to the many voluntary bodies that exist to assist and inform them, and the legal obligations of social workers. Participants from single mothers to solicitors presented their perspectives in a series of frank, informative interviews. This material forms part of the Open University course K207 The law and social work in Scotland.

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is Oxford University's international research centre in the comparative study of news media.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit Imaging in medicine

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How - and why - would you build a machine 10,000 times thinner than a human hair? This album features experts discussing the paradigm shift that is occurring in science. Scientists are learning to manipulate atoms on the scale of a billionth of a metre and control them to perform specific tasks. They can emulate biological and chemical systems to fabricate machines that will destroy cancer cells in the body, giving us nano-drugs of the future; and IBM is using nano-technology for information storage on a molecular scale. There are many other applications which will have a significant impact on the way we live. This album also provides an introduction to quantum computing and quantum mechanics. The material forms part of the Open University course S250 Science in context.

Short introductions to research at the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford.

This series of tracks introduces the basics of helicopter flight, quantum theory, special relativity, wave mechanics and particle physics, providing practical applications of physics and historical footage of Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr. Material is taken from The Open University course S207 The physical world.

The Economics of Climate Change

For centuries the rainbow has been an object of wonder for scientists and mathematicians. It has taken 2000 years to discover many of its secrets. This five track album uses 3D imagery to explain exactly how light is deflected off rain droplets to form the bow like shape we see. This material forms part of the Open University course MU120 Open mathematics.

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit The making of individual differences

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Sport is a massive global phenomenon. Events and sporting heroes attract an enormous amount of interest. What’s going on? Why do sporting heroes matter so much and why is the media full of sports news? This album uses interviews with four key people in sport (Ed Smith, Sue Tibballs, Ed Warner and Sunder Katwala) to explore the relationship between sport and the media and considers the role of media representations in constructing our understanding of sport and creating its place in the wider popular culture. Course chair, Professor Kath Woodward also reflects on the course and the material in this album through two academic perspectives. This material forms part of the course D170 This Sporting Planet.

Podcast of lectures on "The Politics and Government of Germany" at the University of Oxford, held in Hilary Term 2007

At the beginning of the 21st century, more than half the world’s population live in cities. Issues about governance, intensification of social relationships, the impact of globalisation, and the way green spaces are utilised become ever more pressing concerns. The tracks on this album explore some of the challenges faced across the world as citizens and administrators adapt to ever increasing pressures on city spaces and resources. The material forms part of the course DD304, Understanding Cities.

A collection of guest lectures delivered at the University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education.

Who are we? What shapes us into the people we are? Over the last 50 years advances in society and technology has meant that we can be whoever we want to be. Infertile couples have the chance of conceiving a child; a man can become a woman; if an organ fails, you can get a new one. But is it all for the greater good? There are people in today's society who wouldn't think twice about putting a patent on our biological and genetic heritage. The tracks on this album discuss issues such as identity, the relationship between the natural and the social sciences, and the colossal topic of ethnicity, especially in the UK. The material forms part of the course DD100, An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change

This RSS feed contains a list of all sections in the unit From sound to meaning: hearing, speech and language

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Change, diversity and uncertainty are unavoidable features of modern life. Collectively, we may be living through a major transformation in society and the traditions that hold it together. Individually, we may face increasing barriers to taking responsibility for our own destinies, exercising power and making our own decisions. The tracks on this album focus on these and other big issues in the contemporary world. The past and the future - the Welfare State through to Globalisation. The material forms part of the course DD100, An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change.

A collection of guest lectures delivered at the University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education.

Do you know what happens to the things you throw away? Sustainable management of municipal and industrial waste is essential in any society, but is particularly crucial for a future in which we face diminishing resources and a growing population. This album considers the issues that are driving the waste management industry across the EU, looking in depth at processes of recycling, landfill, incineration, obtaining energy from waste, and composting. In the bonus audio tracks Professor Andrew Porteous of the Open University explains why the case studies were chosen, and Dr Suresh Nesaratnam gives an overview of the academic context in which waste management is studied. The material forms part of the Open University course T210 Environmental control and public health.

Philosophy has been studied for thousands of years. It involves the use of reason and argument to search for the truth about reality - about the nature of things, ethics, aesthetics, language, the mind, God and everything else. This series of five introductory lectures, aimed at students new to philosophy, presented by Marianne Talbot, Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford, will test you on some famous thought experiments and introduce you to some central philosophical issues and to the thoughts of some key philosophers.

This course provides an enjoyable introduction to university-level mathematics and its uses in the modern world. It shows how a range of mathematical modelling tools can be used to investigate and answer questions from science, technology and business using fundamental techniques such as recurrence relations; matrices and vectors; calculus; and statistics. The use of computer software, primarily Mathcad, is an integral part of the course, as are skills for identifying and defining problems and communicating results, skills that are so essential for the effective application of mathematics to real-life problems. This material is taken from The Open University Course MST121 Using Mathematics.

Philosophy has been studied for thousands of years. It involves the use of reason and argument to search for the truth about reality - about the nature of things, ethics, aesthetics, language, the mind, God and everything else. This series of five introductory lectures, aimed at students new to philosophy, presented by Marianne Talbot, Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford, will test you on some famous thought experiments and introduce you to some central philosophical issues and to the thoughts of some key philosophers.

This is the first course in the University’s Diploma in Spanish. It extends the language skills developed in previous intermediate and introductory courses and includes a compulsory residential school in Spain. The themes of the course range from talking about the past to urbanism. The course is lively and varied, with a wide range of authentic mixed-media material from Spain and Latin America, structured to allow students to evaluate progress, build confidence and encourage participation. The course will teach you how to communicate in situations ranging from everyday conversation to putting forward your point of view in a debate. Students will also have an opportunity to improve their grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary.This material is taken from The Open University Course L204 Viento en popa: upper intermediate Spanish.

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How can we prevent a country from returning to civil war? When and how should external parties intervene in serious conflicts? This album looks at the decade of violence and destruction that occurred in Sierra Leone in the 1990's. Now that peace has finally come about through the efforts of the international community, it's time to debate whether the root causes of war have been adequately addressed, and what lessons can be learned. 50% of Sierra Leoneans are under 15 and unskilled. Lack of education, poverty and unemployment are still rife and it's this lack of development that gives rise to conflict. Views from all sides are presented, including those of women, disaffected youth, members of the RUF and the new peace-keeping forces, to provide an in-depth analysis of the complexities of the aftermath of a civil war. In the academic perspective, Helen Yanocopulos, Senior Lecturer in International Politics and Development at the Open University provides insight into the educational value of the Sierra Leone case study. This material is taken from The Open University course TU875 War, intervention and development.

A series of guest lectures given by eminent speakers in the field of genetics and biomedicine in memory of the late Dr Anne McLaren FRS.

How much do you think about what you throw away? A waste management cycle is essential for a sustainable future. This album considers the policy and legislation that is driving waste management processes across the EU. By modelling the overall environmental impacts of solid waste disposal methods, the UK government has now created a hierarchy of waste and local management strategies. The 12 video tracks in this album offer an in depth look at each of these processes, concentrating on waste collection, recycling, composting, energy recovery and landfill. This material forms part of T308 Environmental Monitoring, Modelling and Control.

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A series of guest lectures given by eminent speakers in the field of genetics and biomedicine in memory of the late Dr Anne McLaren FRS.

In Ethiopia, 65% of people don’t have access to clean drinking water. In this album we take a glimpse at the struggles Ethiopians go through each day, just to survive. We look closely at the different methods used to improve the quality of life in the rural highlands as well as the conflict between neighbouring farming villages attempting to share the same water supply. This material forms part of the course U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world.

A collection of short presentations about projects and the research being carried out by staff at the University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education.

Have you thought about the journey water makes to get to your taps? What processes has it undergone to make it safe to drink? The tracks in this album examine issues of water supply and treatment in the UK, where each of us uses approximately 150 litres a day! We hear from different parties involved in water management including the bodies representing the consumer, the environment, and the suppliers. The scope of the discussion ranges from wastage and emergency treatment to recycling and effluent control. In two bonus audio tracks, OU lecturer Dr Suresh Nesaratnam explains why the case studies were selected and gives an overview of the academic context in which water supply and treatment is studied. This material forms part of the Open University course T210 Environmental control and public health.

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Do you think about where your water comes from? In the UK each of us uses an average of about 150 litres of water per day! The seven video tracks in this album consider issues of demand and quality in water supply as well as treatment processes. They give information on methods of minimising waste, emergency water treatment and effluent control. This material forms part of T308 Environmental monitoring, modelling and control.

A collection of short presentations about projects and the research being carried out by staff at the University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education.

If you feel that you are being watched, it may well be that you are. Surveillance is an ever growing feature of 21st century life in countries across the world, raising issues of social justice, security and community. The tracks on this album explore how forms and practices of surveillance reveal the entanglements between welfare, crime and society and the tensions and overlaps between policies aimed at delivering social welfare and those intended to control crime. The material is drawn from the course DD208 Welfare, crime and society.

A collection of audio and video resources of lectures, seminars and presentations from the Department's social sciences' programmes.

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The ability of non-profit organizations to raise funds and awareness for key issues and to provide services is absolutely crucial to many people around the world. As the bridge between the giver and the receiver how do these organizations get started and continue successfully? This album contains interviews with five professionals involved with fund raising organisations. They draw on their expertise and different experiences to raise and explore key fund raising issues - how to increase the amount of funds received; how to determine the appropriateness and ethics involved in accepting funds and campaigning for funds; how best to manage an organization and its members with regards to its individual factors. This material forms part of the Open University course B625 Winning resources and support.

A collection of audio and video resources of lectures, seminars and presentations from the Department's mathematical, physical and life sciences programmes.

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What does your health mean to you? What features in society affect it? The tracks on this album explore influences such as stress, housing and employment on everyday health, and examines debates about the relative importance of individual lifestyles and looks at wider public-health concerns and the impact of changes in NHS policy and practice on the delivery of health care. Health is increasingly ‘everybody’s business’. This album will provide you with insight into the debates that surround human health, and will enable you to appreciate and review your own and alternative standpoints and values in this important area of study. The video and audio are taken form the course K203 'Working for health'.

A collection of audio and video resources of lectures, seminars and presentations from the Department's mathematical, physical and life sciences programmes.

A collection of audio and video resources of lectures, seminars and presentations from the Department's social sciences' programmes.

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A collection of audio and video resources of lectures, seminars and presentations from the Department's humanities' programmes.

A collection of audio and video resources of lectures, seminars and presentations from the Department's humanities' programmes.

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This album takes an extensive look at the ins-and-outs of family life and caring for children. It draws on interviews with a wide-ranging selection of professionals, from people who deal directly with children at nurseries or schools to those that help shape national policy, to throw light on national initiatives and schemes such as ChildLine, and explore family life from different perspectives and social levels. This material forms part of the Open University course K204 Working with children and families.

Video Tutorials showing you how to create podcasts

This course introduces you to the archaeological study of over 12000 years of human history, including all major civilisations such as the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese. The course takes a comparative approach to cultures, and the principal themes will be the evolution of agriculture; technology; cities, states and empires; the interpretation of art; adaptation to the environment and the spread of human populations. Knowing how to interpret archaeological evidence will give you a new, critical perspective on the development of the human race. This material is taken from The Open University Course A251 World Archaeology.

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Poetry is a delicate and intricate art form, practised by many people but rarely mastered. In this album, poets Jackie Kay, Paul Muldoon, W.N. Herbert and Jean Breeze talk about their respective approaches and attitudes to poetry. They explore many aspects of their craft, from the initial spark of inspiration and rewriting to more technical matters such as rhyme, using real speech and narrative poetry. This material forms part of the course A175, Writing poetry.

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The Oxford Year

The Oxford Year

This introduction to art history from the Renaissance to the late twentieth century explores how changing intellectual traditions, institutions, social practices and issues of taste have influenced art analysis in the West. Six themes show (a) the importance of establishing art ‘canons’ – bodies of work considered at any one time to represent ‘great art’; (b) how the status of artists has changed down the ages; (c) how gender issues and psychoanalysis have influenced art historians; (d) what the concept of the avant-garde meant for Western art; (e) the interplay between non-European and Western art; and finally (f) the ways in which art is displayed and consumed in Western societies today. This material is taken from The Open University Course A216 Art and its histories.

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A series of short interviews with academics at the University of Oxford about their areas of research.

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A one day conference on podcasting in Higher Education at Oxford University on July 9th 2008.

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A one day conference on podcasting in Higher Education at Oxford University on July 9th 2008.

The tracks on this album offer an invaluable insight into a wide range of techniques and practices surrounding Creative Writing. Writers as diverse as Alan Ayckbourn, Ian McMillan and Tanika Gupta talk openly about their approaches and attitudes to all aspects of writing from original concept to final drafts and productions. Writing for stage, print, television and radio is discussed in engaging and articulate detail. This material forms part of the Open University course A363 Advanced creative writing.

Video series featuring success stories of e-Infrastructure uptake in UK research produced by eIUS project

Ethics Bites is a fascinating and absorbing series of interviews covering topics such as animal rights, euthanasia, censorship and fertility treatment. The interviews are introduced by David Edmonds, while Open University philosopher and best-selling author, Nigel Warburton, puts the questions, rooting every subject in everyday dilemmas about how we should live. Many eminent academics have participated in this fourteen-part series such as a star trio of American-based professors, Michael Scanlon and Peter Singer.

Cherwell and the Oxford Student are two student run newspapers with a long history in Oxford.

Ever wanted to understand the key themes driving over five hundred years of European history? This wide-ranging course brings together the most significant people, places and events from the 15th – 19th centuries, and explains their importance from three perspectives. Firstly, how they influenced the political and constitutional development of the countries we see today. Secondly, the role played by different religious and secular beliefs. Thirdly, what the impact of business and commerce has been on the sweep of historical events. The emphasis throughout is on explaining how professional historians use varied and unusual original source materials to uncover the truth about the past.

Cherwell and the Oxford Student are two student run newspapers with a long history in Oxford.

Exploring the classical world introduces texts by Homer, Horace, Juvenal and others, placing them in their social and political context and assessing their value as historical sources. Readings in the original Latin or Greek and in translation illustrate the metric structures used and the challenges of effectively recreating these works in modern English. The material is drawn from the Open University course A219 Exploring the classical world.

In commemoration of Handel's 250th anniversary, world renowned Handel scholar and Open University Professor Donald Burrows introduces one of the most famous composers of the eighteenth century. Devised for non-musicians and beginners, the 5 video and 5 audio tracks in this album explore the music that made Handel famous. His operas are classics of the Baroque style, his oratorios are the basis of English choral tradition, his music still played today at every monarch's coronation. This "Great Londoner" became an icon in his own lifetime. What is the secret of his success? What was one of Handel's performances like, and how powerful is his legacy?

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Recordings from the 2009 Oxford University Online Poetry Slam competition.

The splendidly evocative ruins of ancient Rome have long been a challenge to historians and archaeologists in reconstructing how it looked and functioned. It became the largest city in the western world during the imperial period, so how was the city constructed, and what were the materials used? How was it defended, supplied with food and water, and how were the people housed and entertained, and above all, how did it function? These video tracks use various famous sites such as the Baths of Caracalla and the Pantheon to answer some of these questions. This material forms part of the course AT308 Cities and technology: from Babylon to Singapore.

Podcasts related to E-learning

The music of North India is mesmerising, and shrouded in tradition and culture. There, raga is the art of life - it is the music of the mind. The tracks in this album focus on three instruments - the tabla, the alap and the voice - all central to the existence of Raga. Each instrument is broken down into the individual sounds that make up the intricate compositions. Performances on all three complete this introduction to the fascinating sound of Raga. This material is drawn from the Open University course AA317, Words and music.

Podcasts of Telescopes Now: real stories of astronomy today. A series of lectures given by eminent astronomers at the Museum of the History of Science in February 2009.

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Podcasts created by the First World War Poetry Digital Archive Project at Oxford University. This project is digitising the manuscripts of the major British poets of WW1 and making them freely available online, along with a set of teaching resources. The project is funded by the UK's Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) - and run by Oxford University's English Faculty and Computing Services (http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit).

In many cultures, song is perhaps one of the most important traditions. What is extraordinary about the Inuit musical tradition is the way they create their songs - with notes originating from their throats. The song isn't interrupted even when a breath has to be taken. The 6 tracks in this album focus on Tanya Tagaq, who describes the amazing art of throat singing and how her heritage and culture, carried in her heart forever, has driven her to continue with this unique tradition. This material is drawn from the Open University course AA317, Words and music.

Podcasts from the Language Centre

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The University of Oxford hosted the 'Towards Low Carbon ICT' conference to stimulate discussion on the practical measures that can be taken to build ICT services that both reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and mitigate the effects that higher energy prices will have on our institutions.

Song, in its many forms, surrounds us - and may have been a feature of life since the very beginnings of human history. It is practiced in every society in the world, its importance undiminished in modern times. The tracks on this album focus on English Folk singing, the traditions behind the songs, and the stories behind the traditions. Performances from folk singer Norma Waterson complete the fascinating journey through English folk heritage. This material is drawn from the Open University course AA317 Words and music.

The Bodleian Library's winter exhibition 2007-08 is a tribute to John Milton, perhaps the most important English-language poet of the seventeenth century and one of the first advocates of civil liberties. These podcasts are from talks given on the opening night of the exhibition.

The history and development of political philosophy has been dominated by many inspirational and radical thinkers. The tracks on this album offer both an introduction and an in-depth insight into the leading theorists in this field and their most important works. In a series of lively and invigorating discussions, leading political philosophers examine canonical texts and seminal thinkers from the Seventeenth to the Nineteenth Century, highlighting their intellectual and cultural impact and the context in which the texts were originally written. This material forms part of the Open University course AA311: Reading political philosophy, from Machiavelli to Mill.

Podcasts about the museums of Oxford University

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Professor Michael Sandel, the 2009 Reith Lecturer, is one of the most influential political theorists of our time. In this short introduction to Sandel's philosophy, two prominent British political theorists, Michael Sayward of the Open University, and Matt Matravers of the University of York, discuss the key themes of Sandel's work and their relevance to modern politics and new citizenship.

Podcasts about the museums of Oxford University

Vice-Chancellor's welcome

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This album provides the budding author with everything they need to know about approaching the art of fiction writing. Each track contains discussions and interviews with best-selling novelists from a variety of backgrounds including Alex Garland, Louis de Bernières, Abdulrazak Gurnah and Monique Roffey. This enlightening and engaging series tackles the practicalities and pitfalls of writing fiction. It contains invaluable advice on the creation of characters, the structure of narratives and how to turn an idea into the book you’ve always wanted to write. This material forms part of the Open University course A174 Start writing fiction. (New and updated content added July 2009)

Vice-Chancellor's welcome

Exciting and rare materials to be found in the vast Bodleian Library Collections

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Exciting and rare materials to be found in the vast Bodleian Library Collections

In this album, some of our current and most well-respected playwrights offer an insight into the mechanics and beauty of writing for the stage. Contributors include Alan Ayckbourn, David Edgar, Bryony Lavery and Willy Russell, who discuss their own work and the pleasures and pitfalls of crafting a script. All of the fundamental topics, from character and structure to dialogue and editing, are covered in detail in a series of entertaining and insightful interviews. This material forms part of the Open University course A176 Start writing plays.

A one-day event to celebrate one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy. This podcast is from a lunchtime talk held during the event.

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In Ghana, types of cloth and the design of textiles are about more than just fashion. Woven Kente cloth is a great status symbol, marking wealth and, in the past, office - something to be worn on important occasions and by important people. Adinkra is a printed fabric, hand-made and worn mainly for funerals, which are very important celebrations in Ghana. The tracks on this album introduce the Kente weavers and Adinkra workers, show the creative processes behind the textiles they make, and reveal how traditional designs remain relevant. This material is taken from The Open University Course A216 Art and its histories.

Vice-Chancellor's welcome

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On 9 October 2007, the Bodleian Library organized a poetry evening to celebrate the first issue of Archipelago, a new literary magazine published by the Clutag Press. Contributors to the magazine, including the Nobel Prize Laureate, Seamus Heaney, read from their work.

To mark World Book Day 2008 on 6 March, the Bodleian Library organised an event featuring the Creation as recorded in three spectacular and historic manuscripts of the sacred books of Judaism, Christianity and Islam: the Torah, the Bible and the Qur'an. These podcasts are from lunchtime talks held during the event.

Italians are world renowned as passionate people, and their passion feeds through to their music and story telling. This album explores the tradition of the Cantastorie - the Italian Storyteller. Cantastorie Mauro Geraci explains the intricacies of the music, the paintings, the instruments and the drama of the performance. This material is drawn from the Open University course AA317, Words and music.

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Prospectuses

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This album contains fascinating and engrossing interviews with several leading philosophers concerning, primarily, the exploration of four topics: emotion; thought and language; imagination and creativity; consciousness. The interviews contain lively debates from differing philosophical viewpoints, discussions about theoretical thought experiments and the examination of theories developed by philosophers such as Aristotle, Decartes, Galileo, and Hume as well as predictions regarding the future of philosophy. This material forms part of the course AA308 Thought and experience.

Podcasts from the 2008 University of Oxford Alumni Weekend.

Traditional Indian singing is intoxicating - but what is it about singing, and listening to others sing, that makes it so significant? In this album, Sudokshina Chatterjee breaks down the unique Indian style, and explains the emotions and meaning behind the songs of her culture. This material is drawn from the Open University course AA317, Words and music.

Podcasts from the 2009 University of Oxford Alumni Weekend.

This album contains extracts from interviews with a wide range of people talking about family history. Some history is recalled in oral form, some in photographic and some in written form, as biographical or autobiographical evidence. Many aspects of this approach to writing are discussed in illuminating and perceptive depth, giving wide-ranging yet informative coverage of the topic. This material forms part of the course A173 Start writing family history.

The audio admissions tours are designed to provide you with the opportunity to find out much more about the University of Oxford from a student perspective and provide information and guidance on the process of applying for a place to study on an undergraduate degree course.

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The audio admissions tours are designed to provide you with the opportunity to find out much more about the University of Oxford from a student perspective and provide information and guidance on the process of applying for a place to study on an undergraduate degree course.

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Podcasts from the 2008 University of Oxford Alumni Weekend.

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Podcasts for Undergraduate Admissions

The Romanes Lecture is an annual public lecture at Oxford University. The first was given in 1892 by William Gladstone. Subsequent speakers have included Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Sir Isaiah Berlin, Iris Murdoch, Edward Heath, AJP Taylor, Tony Blair and Sir Paul Nurse.

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The Romanes Lecture is an annual public lecture at Oxford University. The first was given in 1892 by William Gladstone. Subsequent speakers have included Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Sir Isaiah Berlin, Iris Murdoch, Edward Heath, AJP Taylor, Tony Blair and Sir Paul Nurse.

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Podcasts for Undergraduate Admissions

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A selection of videos related to the Oxford Campaign

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A selection of recordings related to the Oxford Campaign

Global Health

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Global Health

The full length Oxford Campaign video presented by Michael Palin.

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Podcasts from the Oxford Campaign video presented by Michael Palin. High-Quality Video Feed.

Podcasts from the Oxford Campaign video presented by Michael Palin. Low-Quality Audio Feed.

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Podcasts from the Oxford Campaign video presented by Michael Palin. Low-Quality Video Feed.

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Podcasts from the Oxford Campaign video presented by Michael Palin. Medium-Quality Audio Feed.

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Podcasts from the Oxford Campaign video presented by Michael Palin. Medium-Quality Video Feed.

Chris Patten, the Chancellor of the University of Oxford, talks about the importance of the Campaign

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Chris Patten, the Chancellor of the University of Oxford, talks about the importance of the Campaign

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Podcasts from Merton College, University of Oxford.

Kellogg College annual lecture series sponsored by Bynum E. Tudor.

Kellogg College annual lecture series sponsored by Bynum E. Tudor.

Podcasts from Green Templeton College, the University of Oxford’s newest college.

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A series of talks given on a weekly basis during term by college members, detailing their area of expertise.

Lectures and seminars, by guest lecturers, at Kellogg College.

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Lectures and seminars, by guest lecturers, at Kellogg College.

Tower Poetry exists to encourage and challenge everyone who reads or writes poetry. Established following a bequest to Christ Church, Oxford, by the late Christopher Tower, the aims of Tower Poetry are clear: to stimulate an enjoyment and critical appreciation of poetry, particularly among young people in education, and to encourage people to write their own poetry.

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Audio files of lectures given at St Cross College covering a variety of subjects

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A series of podcasts to mark the centenary of the birth on 6th June 1909 of Isaiah Berlin, founding President of Wolfson College, Oxford University and regarded as one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century.

Wolfson is the largest graduate college in Oxford. Our diverse student body has a wide spread of disciplines and nationalities. The College is both traditional and unconventional, forward thinking and friendly.

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The Isaiah Berlin Lecture (Annual lecture in the History of Ideas) is held at Wolfson College, Oxford.

A series of anthropology lectures organised by Linacre College, University of Oxford.

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St Hilda’s is one of the 38 colleges of the University, spectacularly set in four acres of gardens on the banks of the Cherwell River, yet still close to the town centre. St Hilda’s has a particularly dynamic and diverse community of about 400 undergraduates and 100 graduates. The College is committed to encouraging its students to excel, both academically and personally.

Wolfson is the largest graduate college in Oxford. Our diverse student body has a wide spread of disciplines and nationalities. The College is both traditional and unconventional, forward thinking and friendly.

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St Antony's College is the most international of the six graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics and history of particular parts of the world.

St Antony's College is the most international of the six graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics and history of particular parts of the world.

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St Cross is one of the 38 colleges of the University of Oxford, noted within the collegiate community for its diversity and academic excellence. The College offers a unique inter-disciplinary environment, spanning and integrating the arts and sciences, to scholars from all nations. It is a caring and progressive community, committed to its tradition of egalitarianism and to supporting all students in their intellectual and personal growth.

St Cross is one of the 38 colleges of the University of Oxford, noted within the collegiate community for its diversity and academic excellence. The College offers a unique inter-disciplinary environment, spanning and integrating the arts and sciences, to scholars from all nations. It is a caring and progressive community, committed to its tradition of egalitarianism and to supporting all students in their intellectual and personal growth.

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Carolyne Culver talks to staff and students at Harris Manchester College about their applications to and experiences at the College.

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A tutorial session with Lucinda Rumsey and students

A tutorial session with Lucinda Rumsey and students

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