Norah Bennie

OU graduate Norah BennieAlong with building 90-year-old Norah Bennie’s confidence in using computers and mobile phones, studying with the OU in Scotland has helped her feel young again.

A few years after the death of her husband, Norah, now aged 90 and living in Stirlingshire, made the decision to study with The Open University (OU) in Scotland to bring some structure back into her life.

The retired home economics and guidance teacher began her OU learning journey in 2018 at aged 83, starting with an OU Access module to refresh her learning skills and build her confidence.

“I started with an Access module to get a feel for studying again for the first time in nearly 40 years,” she explains. “I had no idea how I would cope, and I had to learn to use a computer virtually from scratch, but it went well and I was keen to go on.”

I started with an Access module to get a feel for studying again for the first time in nearly 40 years...it went well and I was keen to go on."

She adds: “I found the Access module invaluable, giving me a broad-based introduction to lots of subjects and a way of getting back into the academic mindset after decades away.”

Norah subsequently moved on to study for a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Open degree, which gave her the opportunity to study a range of subjects in history, politics, education and religion.

She explains: “For me, the discussions with OU advisers were very important. They helped me to work out what subjects fitted best with my interests and abilities.”

‘Grandchildren had helpful tips’

Describing her time studying, Norah says: “The OU tutors provided expert help and gave up their time happily. I needed some reasonable adjustments on account of eyesight problems, such as getting a copy of slides before each tutorial, which made a huge difference for me.”

She also took advice and support from her family, with her grandchildren studying for their own degrees at the same time at her, and one granddaughter even starting her own degree with the OU last year.

I grew up in a small village where there was no expectation that any of the schoolchildren would go on to university, and even less so for girls."

“My grandchildren had helpful tips and advice for me, particularly about structuring essays and getting the most out of advice from tutors. 

“They seemed to have been inspired by me and were always encouraging me. 

“I felt that I belonged as a student and was thinking like a young person, even although I had lived through some of the history that I was studying.”

Drawing on her own experiences, Norah shares: “My generation were at school during World War Two and missed out on a normal education, although we didn't know it at the time.

“I grew up in a small village where there was no expectation that any of the schoolchildren would go on to university, and even less so for girls. 

“At the age of 16, I remember women in the village saying, ‘That lassie should nae be at the school; she should be doing a proper job.’

“I received no careers guidance and the teaching staff during and immediately after the war were of an older generation. Education in Scotland began to improve as new graduates started coming into teaching just as I was leaving school.”

‘Feel young again’

It's lovely that I've graduated but for me the process of studying was a reward in itself and made me feel young again."

Ahead of graduating at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 24 October 2025, Norah observes: “I've changed a lot while studying for this degree. 

“I'm much more capable with computers and mobile phones than I was, and my thinking has changed.

“I'm much less likely to accept things at face value and I have a much greater understanding of world affairs. 

“Having studied – and lived through – the history of Europe in the 20th century, I'd love to find out what happens over the next 50 years.”

She finishes: “It's lovely that I've graduated but for me the process of studying was a reward in itself and made me feel young again.”

I was looking for structure in my retiral, in my life, and I decided to go to The Open University.

I did succeed in getting a degree, and I'm delighted about that.

But for me, far, far more important was the doing of a degree. The amount of things I had to learn, the variation, that I had to take care of. Not least of which was learning how to cope with a computer.

But really, the getting the degree was good. But it was the process of getting it, that was really an eye-opener, and I thoroughly enjoyed.

I would recommend anybody, who's listening to this and wondering if they could do it, speak to advisors, at the OU. They will give you good advice, and I was so well supported throughout this.

I can say that with confidence. Make sure that you do and access course if you are in any doubt at all, because the access course is so varied. You get the whole picture of what will come. So yes, I've enjoyed it immensely.

And if you're sitting there thinking 'maybe’ or ‘I don't know', give it a go. It's well worth it.