Open University Graduate School, UK

A lawn in front of trees of many different colours - deep red, rust orange, yellow green, blue-green.

Loving autumn on campus at Walton Hall at @openuniversity.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social

Happy eve of ‘Servoween’. This week I’ve been focused on, and inspired by Social Ecological Theory. This reminds us of the interplay between individuals, communities and societal systems. Have a good rest of the week everyone 🎃 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #research #psychology

Service co-design practice and research week-notes 131. The one when it’s the anniversary of the birth of John Loud who was the originator of the ballpoint pen. Talking about writing it’s also Academic Writing month. Have a good week 😊 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research #psychology #phd

Despite my social battery running very low, I’ve had an enjoyable & engaging day at the #OOCDTP cohort event in Oxford! I’ve met some lovely people & I’m looking forward to seeing my #PhD through to completion alongside them! @oocdtp.bsky.social @ougradsch.bsky.social

Black PhD Collective

At #UKCGE EDI conference. Just been hearing about Black PhD Collective which looks like a great resource for Black PGRs.

@ougradsch.bsky.social

www.blackphdcollective.com

A big warm welcome to Thursday. This week I’ve been focused on service design, change and memory theory. It’s also the birthday 🎂 of Elizabeth Loftus who I continue to be inspired by. I wrote about her work a while back www.robertsbrain.co.uk/post/my-insp... @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design

This is fabulous & one of the many reasons I’m really proud to be an @openuniversity.bsky.social student! @ougradsch.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social #NeverTooOld

The Symphony as a Novel - LIM Mahler’s Tenth Preface by Robert Samuels In lingua Inglese

Congratulations to PhD graduate Angelo Pinto on the publication of his book The Symphony as a Novel: Mahler's Tenth. www.lim.it/en/essay/693... @ougradsch.bsky.social #PhD

Nothing like a lunchtime walk to blow some cobwebs away and get a run up to Friday afternoon. @ougradsch.bsky.social

OU PGR coffee in the Common Room and online in the Community Team at 11 today ( and every Thursday). If you'd like to say hello drop by. @ougradsch.bsky.social

A lawn in front of trees of many different colours - deep red, rust orange, yellow green, blue-green.

Loving autumn on campus at Walton Hall at @openuniversity.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social

Fabulous Tony, enjoy it and let us know how you get on ^EY

Joining my first undergraduate tutorial for the @openuniversity.bsky.social @ougradsch.bsky.social #PhD Teaching Scheme. A happy coincidence that the module I’m assigned to is #A340 - The Roman Empire, & I’m dialling in from the Eternal City itself - a great talking point! @drginamay.bsky.social

Service co-design practice and research week-notes 127. Today is world teacher’s day, and so to all those education heroes 🦸‍♀️ out there hope you have a particularly fabulous day 🍎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research #psychology #designleadership #servicedesign #codesign #ux #cx #hcd

A green lawn with people sitting out on a sunny day. A stately home in the background.

A green lawn with people sitting out on a sunny day. A cafeteria in the background.

A crowd of around 70 people standing in the foyer of a library, looking up and smiling.

A crowd of around 70 people standing in the foyer of a library, looking up and smiling. A gold tree made of Open University Shields is on the wall.

We're excited to welcome our Oct #OUGradSch25 PhD cohort to campus today! We can’t wait to hear about their research journeys.
On Fri, we’ll also welcome Professional Doctorate students.
Also welcome to the first PhD by Distance Learning cohort!
@oulibrary.bsky.social @openuniversity.bsky.social

Service Co-design week-notes 126. The one where we took a little holiday. It is also today the anniversary of the birth of John H.Harvey who gave us attribution theory. Very applicable to service design. Have a good week 😊🤩 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #research #psychology

A big warm welcome in Thursday. This week in both practice and research I’ve been thinking a lot about behavioural design in service design. When used positively it can be so empowering. Have a good rest of your week being inspiring and being inspired 😊🤩 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research

It was an absolute joy to attend this morning's @openuniversity.bsky.social graduation!

Congratulations to all who graduated - including our very own #GraceRichards

We’re very proud of you!

#OUFamily @ougradsch.bsky.social #SPS #OUSTEM

🍾🥂🍾

YouTube video by The Open University Library Explore the #openuniversity PGR Common Room in the Library building #shorts #miltonkeynes #postgrad

Did you know the Library has a dedicated common room for postgraduate researchers? Available 24/7, it’s the ideal spot to:

💻 Work in a relaxed space
☕ Recharge with a coffee (or a nap, we won’t tell)😴
⚽️ Have a game of table football

Take a look 👉 youtube.com/shorts/kW31K...

@ougradsch.bsky.social

YouTube video by Neuro Transmissions Postdoc Me Now - A "Don't Stop Me Now" Science Parody

Too good not to share, thanks @geologyclare.bsky.social ! @ougradsch.bsky.social

#AcademicSky #PhD #ResearcherDevelopment

www.youtube.com/watch?v=whre...

Service Co-design practice and research week-notes 123. Apparently it’s buy a book 📕 day, not difficult for me. It’s also the anniversary of the passing of Elton Mayo (1949). Very important study 🔬on the Hawthorne effect 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research #psychology #designleadership

Oh this looks amazing! @ougradsch.bsky.social

Service co-design research and practice week-notes 115. The one where it was very warm again and definitely extremely busy. Now for a little rest 🪫 today, with a sprinkle of forward planning thrown in 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #servicedesign #codesign #designresearch #ux

Black and white photo from 1975 of a television studio for an Open University programme. Text reads: 'You're invited! Heritage Open Days at The Open University. 17-19 September 2025.'

Heritage Open Days return to The Open University from 17–19 Sept with campus tours, new exhibitions, a choir performance, and a brand-new Archive Cinema experience! 🤩

🎟️ Free to attend – tours require booking!
🔗 Full schedule & info: www.open.ac.uk/library/libr...

#MiltonKeynes #Heritage

Welcome in Thursday. This weeks inspiration is design guiding principles in the form of the double and triple diamond 💎 💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #doublediamond #triplediamond #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #servicedesignthursday

A big warm welcome to Sunday 20th July for Service Co-design week-notes 116. Apparently it’s also Moon Day 🌓 and International Chess Day ♟️Hope you have a good week ahead 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign

Will Scotland become the first UK nation to criminalise ecocide?

Scotland could soon make history as the first UK nation to criminalise #ecocide aka severe, reckless harm to nature.

In our latest blog, @jodiebettis.bsky.social a Grand Union Scholar at the #OpenUniversity discusses how this bold legal move could set a global precedent:

Happy World Industrial Design Day for Service Co-design week-notes 113. Here’s a good week for us all 😊🎢 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #designleadership #designresearch
#designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #hcd #cx #ux #weeknotes #WIDD2025 #worldindustrialdesignday

ABSTRACT Green infrastructure (GI) has emerged as a key component in urban resilience strategies for integrating ecological and social benefits. Initially driven by government bodies, GI initiatives have expanded to include different groups of participants in co-production and co-implementation. This study proposes that Taipei's GI governance is determined by formal and informal regulations and connected with other discourses. The policy arrangement approach (PAA) is therefore used to study actor roles, discourses' effects on institutional arrangements, and GI planning issues. By assessing existing strategies and interactions among key actors, the study identifies how shifts in community participation and government authority shape GI design and functionality. The use of PAA in Taipei also offers valuable insights for global cities engaged in similar initiatives and challenges encountered in GI delivery. Findings demonstrate that participatory and collaborative approaches to governance of open spaces and greenspace are aggressively promoted and support communities in developing stewardship capabilities, but also that these alone are unlikely to be transformative without alternative funding mechanisms in the future. Overall, the participatory approach emphasises transparency and accountability for residents, however, new financial schemes are required to carry on GI design and management in the long term.

More exciting news from @ougradsch.bsky.social and @openuniversity.bsky.social as Meng-Chin Tsai publishes a lead-authored paper, which explores planning + governance arrangements for greening + resilience in Taipei. This is one part of her thesis, which is taking shape!

doi.org/10.1080/1523...