Mum and daughter graduate with flying colours from the same course
Kauser Fayaz, left, and mum Mehnaaz pictured before their graduation ceremony.
A mother and daughter have graduated with flying colours from the same course at the University of Leicester
Mehnaaz Fayaz and her daughter Kauser studied together on the MSc in Cancer Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics postgraduate course, with both receiving a distinction – the highest grade possible.
Today (Friday 16 January) saw them receive their awards on stage at De Montfort Hall, at what was an emotion-charged graduation ceremony.
Mehnaaz Fayaz and her daughter Kauser crossing the De Montfort Hall stage together.
“Stepping onto the stage was exhilarating,” said Kauser. “It was the first time we’re able to celebrate our graduations together and acknowledge our achievements side by side. We both graduated with distinctions, with my mother achieving a higher grade than me, which makes me incredibly proud of her, especially considering everything she has been through over the past few years, with the recent loss of a family member.
“I also 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.”
It was the loss of a family member which led to the pair enrolling on the same course, explained Kauser.
She said: “Mum graduated from the University of Leicester with an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences in 2021 and had always wanted to pursue a postgraduate degree, but she decided to wait. I then graduated from De Montfort University in 2024, around the same time as our bereavement.
“After the loss, we felt that being on the same course would allow us to support one another through our grief and grow closer together while continuing our education.”
Living under the same roof in their Leicester family home, Mehnaaz (46) and Kauser (22) found they had to learn to adapt to the slightly unusual situation of studying together at University.
Kauser said: “It was interesting because we initially thought we’d study together closely, but we quickly realised that our study styles are quite different. But we usually sat next to each other or close by in most lectures, and we worked as lab partners for one of our lab projects, where we worked very effectively together and achieved good results. We even walked together to and from the University each day.
“When our classmates found out we were mother and daughter, most were shocked and had assumed we were sisters because they’d see we had the same surname.
“I think the main surprise came from how we interacted with each other, as it wasn’t what people typically expect – there was no hierarchy in our relationship at university, our dynamic was very friendly and relaxed.”
Since finishing their course last autumn, the duo’s path has continued to correlate, with Kauser starting a new job as a medical writer for a medical device company, with one eye on clinical research further down the line. Mehnaaz, meanwhile, is about to embark on an internship as a medical article writer as she looks for research roles in the scientific, pharmaceutical, or medical fields.