Hundreds of students graduate at Open University ceremony in Wales – 50 years after very first degrees awarded

Over 600 students gradated today at two ceremonies at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Newport, as part of The Open University’s Wales graduation.

The 2023 event marks 50 years since the first OU degree ceremony at London’s Alexandra Palace, an occasion that was broadcast live on BBC2.

In both morning and afternoon ceremonies, students walked across the ICC stage to receive their degrees from the OU’s Executive Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Professor Nicholas Braithwaite.

Chloe Jackson-Nott, 28, from Cwmbran graduated with a BA in Business Management. She suffers with chronic migraines, and had trouble adapting to life at brick universities. She found the OU’s flexible model of teaching to be more suitable.

'I had the ability to work in my own time and study ahead if I knew I was going to be busy the following week,' said Chloe. 'The amount of support was overwhelming. If I needed an extension or assistance, all I needed to do was reach out and ask.

I was very lucky enough to apply and be accepted for an internship during my final months of studying. During the submission time of my final assignment, I was offered a full-time position with the company and am still working for them now with a progressed job role.

Chloe Jackson-Nott

'I was very lucky enough to apply and be accepted for an internship during my final months of studying. During the submission time of my final assignment, I was offered a full-time position with the company and am still working for them now with a progressed job role.'

Mark Crothers, 25, from Penarth, graduated through the OU’s nursing degree programme.

'It has changed me in ways I would never be able to express,' said Mark. 'I feel I am a completely different person for the better and continuously improving. The Open University sounded the most flexible and appealing and that is why I chose this route into nursing.'

Chole and Mark were joined by two honorary graduates: Tracy Pike MBE, CEO of Connecting Youth Children and Adults (CYCA), and author and historian Norena Shopland.

Norena Shopland is an author and historian, specialising in diversity within Welsh history. Her works include Forbidden Lives: LGBT Stories from Wales, the first work on Welsh sexual orientation and gender identity history, and the internationally popular toolkits Queering Glamorgan and A Practical Guide to Searching LGBTQIA Historical Records.

In 2021 Norena was commissioned by the Welsh Government to deliver LGBTQ+ training to local libraries, museums and archives throughout Wales. She has been on Wales’ list of most influential LGBTQ+ people, the Pinc List, from 2019 to 2023.

'My wife, like many people, worked full-time and did an Open University degree so we're delighted to continue our connection with such an august institution,' explained Norena. 'She did her degree for fun, but for others, it's an important route to career development and employment and in this rapidly changing world, a life-long opportunity to switch career paths or to try out new areas of interest. Learning is addictive, as I'm sure those who have graduated would agree, so well done to them. Be proud of your achievements, and never stop learning.'

Tracy Pike began her career as a teacher in 1979, going on to became head of pastoral care in a secondary school. After leaving teaching to raise her family, she studied stress management with The Open University, and then set up her own business, training hundreds of NHS staff.

Tracy was the first stress management consultant to work with Llanelli GPs to offer stress control on prescription. In 1997 she joined Connecting Youth Children and Adults (CYCA) as a learning clubs school coordinator. Tracy brought her passion for resilience control to the role and to date has secured funding of over six million pounds to offer free well-being support and counselling to children and their families. She became CEO in 2002, and in 2018 received an MBE for services to children and their families.

'It’s both a privilege and an honour to be nominated for this honorary master’s degree with The Open University,' said Tracey. 'My first formal qualification after leaving teaching was actually with the OU and the principles of learning have been cascaded to thousands of learners.

'It has been a pleasure to have had staff from the OU in Wales witness first hand some of the learners at CYCA  who have benefited from my OU principles and practices of managing stress.

'To fellow graduates, follow your passion on making a difference to people’s lives. It is both humbling and rewarding to witness change.'