Student life at the ou

A diverse age range of students from all walks of life are attracted to the OU; for most courses there are no entry requirements other than the ability to study at an appropriate level, though most postgraduate courses require evidence of previous study. This fundamental open admissions policy makes undergraduate university study accessible to all.

Approximately 70% of students are in full-time employment, often working towards a first (or additional) degree or qualification to progress or change their career, with over 50,000 being sponsored by their employer. The University is also popular with those who cannot physically attend a traditional (on-campus) university study course because they have health limitations, are working or resident overseas, in prison, serving in the armed forces, housewives caring for family members.

While most of those studying are mature students, the reduction in financial support for those attending traditional universities has also led to an influx of young undergraduates to the OU. In the 2003–2004 academic year, around 20% of undergraduates were under 25 years old.

The University enrolled fewer than 50,000 students in the 1970-1971 academic year, by 1987-1988 yearly enrollment had doubled to 100,000 students, reaching 200,000 by 2001-2002; cumulatively, the University has educated more than two million students.

More undergraduate students were female than male, while there were slightly more males than females taking postgraduate courses; and the majority of the students were between 25 and 44 years old, the median age of new undergraduates being 32.

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Open university claims for record iTunes downloads Universities are putting their lectures on iTunes

The Open University is claiming a world record for the number of iTunes downloads - as the first to reach 20 million.

Universities around the world are now distributing material through the iTunes U educational area of the online service.

The global figure for downloads from iTunes U has reached 250 million.

"The way people want to learn is changing," says Open University vice-chancellor, Martin Bean.

The Open University, once parodied for its late-night television shows, is now pioneering the use of the internet to reach its students.

Chart toppers

It began putting material on Apple's iTunes U service in June 2008 - and in two years has had 20 million items downloaded.

These free downloads are a range of items to support courses and deliver learning materials, including video and audio clips and tutorials.

They are available to the general public as well as students.

The biggest single hit download from the Open University is Beginner's French.

More than a quarter of downloads are for the so-called "STEM" subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths.

The university says that mobile phones are increasingly being used to download its tracks.

Mr Bean says that the growth of the iTunes U concept reflects the changing ways that people are learning.

"Many now actively seek out content they are interested in and which they can watch, read or listen to when it suits them," he says.

"New channels are helping people to fit learning in with their lifestyles, and the OU has always kept pace with the changing world of technology."

The university now has 525 courses available on the internet, with 162,000 students for online courses.

In any 24-hour period, there will be 45,000 Open University students working online.

This trend is going to increase further, says Peter Scott, director of the OU's Knowledge Media Institute.

"There is a real worldwide hunger for learning," he says.

Such iTunes downloads are now available from many leading universities - putting lectures and materials in reach of an online audience.

Oxford University last month announced that there had been more than three million downloads of its tracks on iTunes U.

The current top 10 includes Cambridge University's "The art of asking the right question" and Warwick University's "Sex in the Ancient World".

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