In today’s episode, Heidi speaks with Richard, a former OU student who discovered his natural talent for Law thanks to his experience with The Open University. After studying for a certificate in Higher Education with the OU, he went on to study full time at Birmingham City University and now has just one year left of his LLB. Richard talks about his love for the OU and how it helped him find direction in life. He also discusses his greatest passion, radio. Richard has just been appointed the Station Direction for Scratch Radio, his university’s student radio station. Heidi and Richard explore the role of AI in audio production and discuss the importance of building community when studying at a distance.

In this month’s episode, Heidi (who has just finished the first year of her PhD) has recorded a solo podcast for us which focuses exclusively on studying for a PhD at The Open University. If you’ve always wanted to gain your doctorate but have felt excluded because of finances, caring responsibilities or a lack of confidence, this episode will help move you towards your goal. Although the OU welcomes anyone looking to self-fund their PhD, we know for many, this isn’t possible. As such, Heidi outlines the route she took which landed her a fully-funded scholarship. As a single mum, Heidi thought she’d have to wait until retirement to study for her PhD, but she found a way to make it work. The Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership, led by the University of Oxford in collaboration with The Open University and Brunel University, offers an array of incredible opportunities for aspiring doctoral students. Heidi shares advice for building connections and highlights the importance of finding the right supervisors for you.

Concerned about feeling alone? What many people don’t realise is that the OU has a beautiful, huge campus just outside Milton Keynes (along with offices in Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh). Here, you will find a friendly community of 900 PhD students, so you definitely won’t feel isolated. Taking a leap of faith and following your passion takes courage, but the OU is on standby to help you achieve your goals. Find out more about the various options available to you by looking at the OU’s Research Degrees website and the OU job vacancies page which includes details of available scholarships (be sure to bookmark the URL and keep checking it regularly, you will be amazed at what you will find!)

If you have any questions, email studenthub@open.ac.uk and Heidi will come back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for listening.

Today, OU PhD student Heidi, was joined by Sharon, an OU student studying Arts and Humanities with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Sharon is a classically trained dancer, singer and actress, who has featured in films, TV and on the stage. Her journey with the OU began when she was awarded a prestigious Black Students’ Support Fund Scholarship in 2023 (find out more about the scholarship here).

Sharon is now in her second year of her degree and shares her experience of studying with the OU so far, her exciting plans to write an autobiography, her inspirational daughter and her aspiration to become a teacher. With 16 years of experience of working with children and young people, Sharon plans to become a Performing Arts teacher. In this conversation, she outlines ways to avoid feeling isolated as an OU student and encourages all those with a dream to pursue it.

Unfortunately, due to technical issues on the day of the recording, there is a slightly abrupt ending to today’s episode. We apologise for this but use it as a reminder that life always throws us curveballs! As students, we all know the challenges of IT glitches and connection issues, but just like with today’s episode, we do our best, press on and make the very best of it. Huge thanks to Sharon for generously sharing almost three hours of her day with us to make this episode possible and thanks to Sophie Hoyle from The Open University for making this great conversation happen.

Do send us your feedback via studenthub@open.ac.uk.

In this episode, Heidi and Scott speak with Dan Richards, an elite athlete and OU student who received a Disabled Veterans Scholarship with The Open University in 2023. After serving in The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and later Afghanistan, Dan had a devastating motorbike accident which caused him to lose almost a quarter of his body. However, Dan refused to let ‘one bad day’ (his words) dictate the rest of his life. He soon began his progress back to recovery and to the military. After three more years, Dan was medically discharged, and after returning to live with his mum, a mixture of unemployment and depression caused him to question his future. However, a new job opportunity through Capstar Services and his relentless pursuit of his fitness goals (running, rowing and cycling), led him to the Invictus Games. He later joined The Open University in 2023 to study BSc (Hons) Sports, Fitness and Coaching. Dan’s story is one of perseverance, grit and determination, and one which we know will inspire so many. Be sure to follow him on Instagram @theonearmedwonder.

Please note, this episode details physical injury and includes two references to suicide.

In this special edition of the Student Hub Live Podcast, Heidi speaks to Rebekah. Rebekah is a mother to three children and is a year away from completing her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with The Open University. She is a full-time carer to her eldest son, who requires 24/7 support, and was awarded a Carers Scholarship through the OU. In this inspiring conversation, Rebekah shares an array of insights into how she manages her time, stays motivated and outlines the barriers facing those looking to practise Law, especially women with caring responsibilities. This episode is designed to celebrate the amazing women out there raising their children while studying with the OU. Happy Mother’s Day. We would like to extend a huge thanks to our producer on this podcast, Sophie Hoyle, who works in the OU’s Development Office.

Enjoying the series? Be sure to rate us on whichever platform you download the podcast on and if you have any feedback, please email studenthub@open.ac.uk.

In this Student Hub Live podcast special, Heidi and Scott speak with Ayr, an OU student who has already completed a degree in Psychology and is now on to the next, History. Ayr overcame a series of personal difficulties when studying, and uses education as a positive mechanism for coping with challenging times. Please note that in this episode, Ayr discusses grief, including the loss of a sibling and parent. Ayr also outlines the adversity faced by young people with special educational needs struggling to be seen and understood in ill-equipped mainstream schools. It wasn’t until Ayr was almost thirty that formal diagnoses were finally made, including dyslexia and dyscalculia, meaning that finally, support could be put in place, and Ayr could thrive. Ayr sees the OU as a route to mental wellbeing and happiness for so many and encourages everyone to give it a try.

In the first episode of 2025, Heidi and Scott discuss how they stay motivated throughout January (not an easy task!) Scott draws on his planning routine to stay on top of things while Heidi opts to prioritise rest where possible to maintain her energy levels (coupled with her favourite hobby, feeding the birds and squirrels in her garden). There are huge changes underway for Scott who discusses his fantastic new teaching role following his move out of London and back to the countryside, stepping back from his 16-year career as a personal trainer. Heidi updates us on her PhD (now four months’ in) and outlines the challenges of studying at this level. Plus, as ever, this episode is filled with tips and advice on getting through your studies. Why not make yourself a cup of tea, get comfy and come and join Heidi and Scott for this month’s episode?

If you have any feedback on the podcast or if you would like to get involved, please email studenthub@open.ac.uk

In this very special episode of the Student Hub Live Podcast, Heidi and Scott speak with Rob Moore, an Associate Lecturer at The Open University. As one of our main Student Hub Live presenters, you will likely to know Rob as the reassuring, kind host who joins us from his ‘study shack’. However, what few students may realise, is that Rob has been dedicated to supporting OU students for over twenty years and has helped literally thousands to succeed.

Did you know, Rob’s role sees him supporting OU students serving prison sentences? Plus, students serving in active war zones? In this episode, Rob also shares details of quite how varied and fulfilling his role as an Open University Associate Lecturer is, plus the details of the most memorable graduation ceremony (featuring a rather lovely celebrity guest) and talks about the importance of connecting with other students where you can.

Heidi and Scott would love to hear from you. If you have any feedback on today’s show, please email studenthub@open.ac.uk and don’t forget to follow former OU student Scott from Mad About History on Tik Tok and Instagram.