Engineering and innovation symbols on glass

School of Engineering and Innovation

Leading the OU’s teaching in Engineering, Design, Technology & Innovation Management, Systems Thinking and Environmental Management and has highly rated Design and Materials Engineering research.

School of Engineering and Innovation

We aim to make an impact on individuals, organisations and communities that have to design, develop, build and manage complex systems involving technologies of all kinds. Our disciplines combine both analysis and synthesis, ranging from engineering, through design and systems thinking to environmental and technology management.

We take a broad view of engineering and innovation in all our activities. Our teaching covers many forms of formal, non-formal and informal courses and educational resources. Our wide ranging research and scholarship covers several Research Excellence Framework (REF) units of assessment. Our expertise is used in various commercial, not-for-profit and grant funded activities both nationally and internationally.  

We are committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and aim to enhance our reach into, and impact on, currently underserved groups and organisations in line with The Open University’s mission.

News

Dr Gareth Neighbour recently presented a paper related to The Remarkable Story of Carbon at Carbon 2025

4th August 2025

The School of Engineering and Innovation is sponsoring the new flagship event from the Institute of Materials, Mining and Minerals (IOM3) - Materials, Minerals & Mining for People, Places, Planet (

28th July 2025

School of Engineering and Innovation PhD student Houda Khayame recently presented preliminary findings from her case study research “Ex

28th July 2025

This September, the World Design Congress 2025 is being held at the Barbican Centre, London. The theme of the event is Design For Planet.

23rd July 2025

The Open University's Research Image of the Month for June 2025 highlighted the research of PhD student Claude Nsobya, based in the School of Engineering and Innovation.

4th July 2025