Kepa Zugazaga Beaskoetxea is a 41-year-old Open University graduate from Spain, who says he would choose the OU again in a heartbeat – and he plans to.
Having just graduated from his BSc (Hons) Open Degree, Kepa is now hoping to do an OU MA in Education to help him realise his new dream of becoming an OU tutor.
“I chose the OU for its flexibility, and for being a good distance university for EU students. It’s the biggest distance university in Europe with over 50 years of experience in distance learning, so it was the only choice for me,” he said.
“The flexibility of the OU was hugely important to me. You can study at your own pace, whenever you can and from anywhere, as long as you have internet access.”
Support and determination to succeed
Kepa has a chronic condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, which leaves him in constant pain. This made study challenging at times but he says that with the support offered by the OU, he was able to reach his goal of graduating.
“Being in chronic pain 24/7 is quite hard and sometimes I struggled to study because I was feeling so ill. Thanks to resilience, hard work, determination and all the help the OU offers, I could finish my degree,” he said.
“At first, everything was new and I found distance education quite challenging, but little by little I got used to it. I had obstacles to overcome – my disability, and some of the tougher modules such as Neuroscience were hard and required long hours of study and note-taking. But there was such great support from the student support team, the Students Association and friends I made on the module and Facebook groups. We are all still in contact now, even after finishing the degree.
“I was also so inspired by my tutors. I have nothing but words of gratitude to my Professors, who were so well educated and professional. Plus all the materials were world-class.
“I wanted to have higher education and a degree. It can be very helpful for a better future, so that’s where my determination came from.”
A quality degree recognised by employers
Studying at a UK university was important to Kepa and he says he felt very much part of the OU family.
“I knew I wanted to study in a UK university due to the quality of the British higher education system which is among the best in Europe. Every year the number of Spanish students studying in the UK increases,” he said. “The quality of British higher education is very much appreciated in Spain. A UK university degree is more prestigious than other university degrees in Europe.
“The OU study materials, books, and study platforms are of a very high quality, as are the tutors and education overall. Similarly, the student support team is always on hand to support in a friendly, helpful manner.
“I didn’t feel like a foreigner or international student. I had a huge sense of inclusion, of belonging to the OU family. I loved the experience so much.”
“I’ve gained so much from my studies – I have so much confidence”
Kepa had previously achieved a Level 5 NVQ in Administration and Finance and had some credits from an English Language, Literature and Linguistics degree he had begun in Spain. This meant he was able to transfer some credits over when he joined the OU.
He is now about to finish an NVQ Level 4 in Pharmacy and Parapharmacy in Spain and has grand plans to begin a Master’s in Education with the OU when he can.
“I found the Open Degree very interesting, flexible and rewarding. You learn a lot through the different modules,” he said.
“I have gained so much from my studies. I have a lot more confidence and many different skills. In my opinion, the best thing about the OU is the support offered, the friendships I made, the flexibility and even the social media platforms used to create the university environment.”
“I want to do a Master’s degree with the OU”
“Now I would like to continue my education with the MA in Education offered by the OU. I would love to become an OU tutor myself, teaching Spanish,” he said.
“To anyone thinking of studying with the OU, I’d say to definitely do it. It has been a great experience and I totally recommend the OU as the best distance education institution out there.”
