In this talk Inma and Lesley will explain what drives some people to embark on the ultimate study challenge – doing a doctorate – late in life. They will provide information about how mature students manage the development of their research skills during an extended period of time, and what aspects contribute to their successful completion of a doctoral degree. In preparation for the talk, you may want to watch these videos by some doctorate holders from the Open University: EdD journeys.

Dr Inma Alvarez – Director of Postgraduate Research Studies, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education & Language Studies, The Open University. Inma has a long career teaching and researching in higher education. She has a background in the performing arts and has recently been involved in research on dance interventions in care homes.

Dr Lesley Boyd, Affiliated Researcher, Open University - Lesley has just completed a fully funded PhD with the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University. She is now 61 and enjoying looking forward to whatever her 60’s and 70’s has to offer!  Her PhD supported geographically separated practitioners in using learning technology to learn about and improve complex fragmented challenges in HE and beyond. She was runner-up in the OU Research Excellence Awards 2022 in the post-graduate student category. She graduated on the same day as her son, at Milton Keynes Theatre in March 2023.

Accessible Document:

Learning to the top and enjoying every minute - lnma Alvarez pdf

Learning to the top and enjoying every minute_ACCESSIBLE.pdf