Rosemary Gosling, Director of External Studies for the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Education changed me. It provided me with such diverse opportunities. I believe education is not just about mastering books but really listening and understanding what is being said.
Today more than 43 per cent of youngsters have access to a university education. In my times it was only six per cent. People today have the luxury to choose what kind of education they want, where and in their time. Now London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has provisions for students who've never been to university to avail of our degree by getting into our associate programme.
Never say never
Getting into academics was not just a vocation. I had a stronger, tenacious bond with it. I have a passion to teach and want to get as many students into a learning atmosphere as I can.
I was a late developer. I finished school at 16 and didn't go to the university. I got married and had two kids by the age of 23. That was the trend in the '60s as women weren't expected to go to universities. My headmistress at school told me, "You are not university material." I feel you should never label a child as a failure. I didn't believe her nor did my parents.
Acing A levels
I did my secretarial course, but I was useless. I started A levels when I was 27 or 28. By then, I was a single parent, juggling home with two children while trying to complete my studies. But I was fortunate to have some really amazing teachers who inspired me.
One such teacher was Godfrey Lester. He had been taught by the poet T. S. Eliot himself. Once when I was late for college, he called me in and said: "I know you are a single mother and juggling home and children. But you are expected to do everything that the others do here." Godfrey himself had never taken a single day off and I followed his words seriously.
I have never taken a single extra day off in my life! Another inspirational teacher was Michael Urban. He gave brilliant lectures.
I was teaching juniors and was told if I wanted to teach the A level students I had to do my Masters. So I began a part-time course to complete my Masters in politics and sociology.
Going single
You can get the best out of life with a good education. I am a strong woman and I had no time to feel sorry for myself.
I had to work out my timings in the university being a single parent.
So I set up a nursery school at home where my daughters could study. At university, I was around 17- and 18-year-olds; they were so full of life. Since then I have grown to like that age group. I didn't plan anything and yet I got to meet the most extraordinary people during my university days.
From a distance
We've come a long way! The idea of reaching out to people and providing education in a virtual learning environment took seed years ago.
The University of London was first established in 1836 with the merger of its two founding colleges – the University College of London and the King's College, both of which were established in 1828 and 1829 respectively. The university always has been inclusive in its policy to enrol people who were not Anglican.
However, there were students who wanted to learn but either had o access to universities or could not afford it. The Queen's charter of 1858 established an external studies system of the University of London. This made the degrees of the university accessible to qualified candidates in the UK and to students studying throughout the world through external studies.
Success story
We've had many heart-warming stories of external studies students managing to get a direct admission into the LSE main campus.
I recall the case of Unnikrishnan from Kerala, India who had a scholarship to study in NTU (Nanyang Technological University), Singapore. While he was doing that he did our programme in Economics and secured a first class. He got a scholarship to LSE for his Masters. It was a full scholarship to study at the University. There have been many students
like him who are absorbed into the main campus.
Global classroom
In the first and second world wars, allied prisoners could study for degrees through the external studies system in the war camps.
In the 1970s we had Nelson Mandela study for a University of London LLB degree from Robben Island in South Africa. In 1993, the present Prime Minister of Mozambique, Luisa Diogo, did her Masters in financial economics through the external studies programme offered by the Department of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London. There were even ordinary felons in the prisons of many countries around the world who were allowed to study in their confinement and get a degree.
I recall an inmate from a Singapore prison who got her degree in sociology the day she got her freedom. Education contributed to her freedom.
Today, I am proud that the external studies department has more than 40,000 students in 180 countries studying for the award of 100 varieties of degree programmes.
Access granted
Education must be accessible to all. That is the philosophy behind external studies – reaching out to students who are keen on academics and education.
My colleague and mentor Tom Norsitter played a crucial part in introducing the external studies concept. I completed my PhD under his supervision and my area of research was: Bridging the Gap between Industry and Civil Services Examinations.
Going live
At the centre for external studies we provide an overview of the programmes offered by all the colleges. By 2002, the external studies department had established its e-campus.
There are Masters courses online and all possible support
is provided for learning.
At undergraduate level we provide guides, study skills, virtual learning environment etc. All course material is available online. There are video podcasts of all lectures. Exercises
and testing are provided online. We want to keep it affordable.
Set to succeed
The International Institute for Technology and Management (IITM) in Dubai is a complete mixture and we have the best students ever. I have had students who enrolled here and got scholarship by the second year on account of their brilliant performance.
Good education is no longer out of anyone's reach.
