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| Proud grandfather Michael Poyzer who has finally been awarded a degree after taking 43 years to complete his studies |
43 years after starting his degree, Michael Poyzer, 65 finally graduates from the university. He began his studies in science and technology with the Open University in 1971 when he was aged just 22. Over the next four decades he juggled his degree with running a business, writing a novel and looking after three children and later four grandchildren.
And his persistence finally paid off when the delighted student was told last summer he had passed his Bsc Honours course with a 2:2 qualification. Following a glitzy graduation ceremony last month alongside students in their 20s, Mr Poyzer now plans to go and study for a Master's degree.
From start to finish it has taken the pensioner nearly as long as it did to build the Taj Mahal, Hadrian's Wall and the Humber Bridge combined. Incredibly, if he had started his degree with the current average university costs Michael would have amassed the equivalent of £387,000 in tuition fees.
Mr Poyzer, from Carlton, Nottinghamshire, yesterday said he now even plans to go on to study a Masters in Creative Writing at Nottingham Trent University.
'Hopefully the Masters won't take as long - it's something I really want to do. I've got the thirst for academia again. I love learning, no matter how long it might have taken me,' he said.
'It was a relief to have finally graduated. I was never going to quit. When I kept picking the books back up it always came flooding back.
'It's been quite a juggling act though being a father, owning a business and doing a degree.
'I always felt I was going to go back to it. When you've got a dream, you should never give up on it.
'In those days, you had to study whenever you could. I would have had a better result if I had worked a bit harder in the early days.
'Courses are much different now compared to the 70's as lectures are delivered online and through other media, allowing people to fit their degree around their life.
'There was a lot of television programmes on at obscure times. The TV channels would close down and the Open University would start up after.
'But as the years passed I always thought "I'm going to finish that degree one of these days."'
Mr Poyzer, 65, began studying science and technology at the Open University in 1971 when he was aged just 22
Mr Poyzer left school at 16 to become an apprentice at the Raleigh bike factory in Nottingham.
Over the four decades he juggled his degree with running a business, writing a novel and looking after three children and later four grandchildren
He was then among 25,000 students who started the Open University in 1971, when it was set up - the same year that decimal currency was introduced.
A year before he started his degree, he married Susan, 63, had his first child, Christopher in 1975, his second, Victoria in 1977, and third Joseph in 1985.
He opened his business, Super Cycles, in 1977 and in 2001 he moved his shop and re-named it Rock 'n' Roll Bikes, which he still runs.
But the whole time My Poyzer kept going back to his degree. In total it has cost him £2,500 to complete the course on-and-off over the 43-year period.
Following a ceremony in Birmingham Symphony Hall last week his proud wife said: 'We're very, very proud of him but now I can see him more and he'll have more time with the grandchildren.'
A spokesman for the Open University said: 'Congratulations to Mr Poyzer for returning to study after his long break and completing his degree.
'He will have started his studies when TV tutorials were delivered by lecturers in tank tops.
'He finishes in an era when the OU is delivering courses across all media, with many students using their mobile phones to study when and where it suits them.'
Today's Open University students have to complete their studies within a maximum of 16 years.
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