New OU podcast explores big issues shaping our world

<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">What does equality really mean in practice&quest; How can young people make their voices heard&quest; What does a healthy digital life look like in an age of social media and AI&quest;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;">&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">These are just some of the questions explored in&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB"><em>Open Conversations<&sol;em><&sol;span><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">&comma; a new podcast series from the OU that brings together researchers and postgraduate students to discuss some of today&&num;039&semi;s biggest societal challenges&period; The series features contributors from across the University&comma; and aims to make research and its impact on society more accessible through engaging&comma; thought-provoking conversations&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;">&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">Each episode focuses on a different topic&comma; including equality&comma; youth voice&comma; climate anxiety&comma; digital wellbeing&comma; the use of AI&comma;&nbsp&semi;identity&nbsp&semi;and financial resilience&period; Drawing on OU research&comma; host Dr Karen Bowen asks insightful questions&comma; allowing guests to share academic evidence&comma; insights and what they have learned from those with lived experience&comma; helping listeners better understand the complex issues affecting communities in the UK and around the world&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;">&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">Whatever you&&num;039&semi;re studying&comma;&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB"><em>Open Conversations<&sol;em><&sol;span><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">&nbsp&semi;offers an accessible introduction to current research and debate&comma; making complex ideas easy to engage with&comma; while providing opportunities to hear directly from the researchers behind the work&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;">&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">The series could also be a useful companion to your studies&period;&nbsp&semi;The&nbsp&semi;episodes explore themes linked to OU modules and wider contemporary issues&comma; offering fresh perspectives&comma; real-world examples&comma; and evidence-based discussion that can help deepen your understanding of topics you may&nbsp&semi;encounter&nbsp&semi;in your coursework&period; This makes the podcast valuable not only as a source of information&comma; but also&nbsp&semi;as a way to&nbsp&semi;broaden your thinking and discover areas of research you might not otherwise come across&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;">&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">Open Conversations<&sol;span><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">&nbsp&semi;is&nbsp&semi;<&sol;span><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;youtube&period;com&sol;playlist&quest;list&equals;PLH81q56PwuJ8" rel&equals;"noreferrer noopener" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none" lang&equals;"EN-GB"><span data-ccp-charstyle&equals;"Hyperlink">available on YouTube<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto" lang&equals;"EN-GB">&nbsp&semi;and all major podcast platforms&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&lbrack;zombify&lowbar;post&rsqb;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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Open SU exists to serve the interests of #OUstudents and ensure that the student voice is heard throughout the University. Find out more about what we do at oustudents.com