Mother and daughter lab partners graduate together

2 hours ago

Rob Roseand

Isaac Ashe,East Midlands

Mother and daughter Mehnaaz and Kauser Fayaz have both graduated from the same course at the University of Leicester

A mother who has completed the same postgraduate degree as her daughter has said she hopes her story will show other parents they are never too old to learn.

Mehnaaz Fayaz, 46, and her daughter Kauser, 22, both both graduated from the University of Leicester at different times and felt if they enrolled in the same postgraduate course, it would allow them to support each other.

They then signed up for the Cancer Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics course at the university, worked together as lab partners and both received a distinction.

Mehnaaz said: "They say once you get married and have kids you cannot study - you can, and you can study with your kids together."

News image — Kauser and Mehnaaz Fayaz both achieved the highest possible grade in their postgraduate degrees

A mother and daughter in ceremonial robes in front of De Montfort Hall in Leicester — Kauser and Mehnaaz Fayaz both achieved the highest possible grade in their postgraduate degrees

"I want to break the stereotype," she added. "It's for everybody, there is no age to learn.

"It was my passion to go more into cancer research and learn more about the molecular part of it, so that's why I chose to go back."

Kauser said: "She's my mum, she's my role model.

"I hope mum's achievements will inspire other women, who might think they are too old to go to university, to pursue education – she's shown it's never too late."

The pair sat together inside a lecture theatre — The pair said classmates sometimes mistook them for sisters

The pair said they were sometimes mistaken for sisters by other people on their course.

Kauser said: "It happens often, it's quite nice though because it's nice to see that she's growing old gracefully!"

However, the pair admit that study styles are different.

Kauser said: "She's more of a bookworm. She likes to study a lot more than me, but I must say I did get a higher grade in our dissertations!"

The duo both received the highest grade possible by achieving a distinction and Kauser has now started a job as a writer for a medical device company while Mehnaaz is set to start an internship as a medical article writer.

Linda Ralphs, Pro Vice-Chancellor Education at the University of Leicester, said: "We welcome everyone. It is exactly that sort of story that really makes our day."

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