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Graduates of all ages celebrated at ceremonies held at the Barbican, including 69-year-old Naeem Ahmad and 51-year-old Susan Mooney

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“I must be the oldest graduate!” said 69-year-old Naeem Ahmad with a smile.

The NHS consultant graduated today with a master’s in Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience. His last time graduating was over 40 years ago when he finished his medical degree in Pakistan back in 1979. He has been practicing in the NHS ever since.

“Returning to university after all those years was hard but if you have an interest and you want to achieve something it helps motivate you. It was so good getting back into education and working on assignments, although a lot has changed.”

Naeem Ahmad

I am here celebrating with my two daughters and my two granddaughters. I would tell others thinking of returning to university that one should not be limited by age. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. The sky’s the limit.

Graduations for the School of Policy & Global Affairs and the School of Health & Medical Sciences took place on Wednesday 16 July  at the Barbican.

Susan Mooney, 51, was another professional who returned to university after a decades-long break and graduated with her peers from the School of Health & Medical Sciences today.

While mother-of-two Susan had already established a successful career in HR, she said she wanted to pursue a master’s degree that enhanced her skills and knowledge in her day-to-day work. Susan studied MSc Organisational Psychology at City St George’s and said the experience has been transformative.

“It was exactly 30 years ago when I got my undergraduate degree in sociology. We didn’t even use the internet then!” she said.

Susan Mooney

I started the course not knowing if I could do it as such a long time had passed since I last studied. But the teaching here has been brilliant, and I have received so much support from the university services which has given me more confidence. My younger peers on the course were a great help too and I was able to offer them insight into the world of work in return.

Susan celebrated her graduation with her husband and two adult children. She has studied at university at the same time as her son and said it was a special experience going through it together.

Susan worked full-time while she undertook the part-time master’s course, even applying and securing a new role halfway through the course.

Susan celebrated with her family

Studying at City St George’s changed my mindset in terms of questioning what I could I achieve. It made me open to new challenges – had I not been on the course, I don’t think I would have had the belief in myself to go for that job.

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