How Nikola’s dream erupted into reality
NIKOLA ROgIC has a passion for volcanology and recently began a PhD in the subject.
The 46-year-old, who moved to the UK from Croatia in the Nineties, spent five years studying for a BSc in geosciences with the Open University (OU), graduating in 2015 — and he managed to juggle his studying with a full-time senior management role in a restaurant.
Nikola, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, went on to take an MSc in geophysical hazards at University College London.
Last October, he began his PhD research, which is funded by the OU, developing monitoring systems that could help decision-making in eruptive crisis in the future.
Nikola had initially embarked on an economics degree in Croatia before moving to England, but says a friend suggested he look into OU study to him due to its flexibility.
He says: ‘At the time I was working full time in a management job within the hospitality industry and wanted to change my career.
‘Due to various personal and workrelated circumstances, it wasn’t until a decade later that I woke up one morning and said to myself: “Today is the day to pursue my dreams.”
‘I picked up the phone, spoke to the OU team and in no time I was enrolled and became a mature science student.’
He adds: ‘I always had a natural thirst for knowledge and a childlike curiosity about natural sciences. Despite voicing my preference to study microbiology in my late teens, my parents decided that economics was the best option.
‘But there was no passion and no drive, so I gave up my academic development during my first year of studies and decided to travel and work abroad.’
Nikola says he needed to be disciplined during his part-time undergraduate studies with the OU.
‘The most challenging parts of OU study are having to balance working fulltime alongside studying and that means you have to say no to parties and maintain the drive of why you doing the course in the first place,’ he says.
‘However, the fact that the OU gave me the necessary tools, support and skills to change my life are why it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.’
Nikola beat off stiff competition to gain a prestigious his PhD position, which is funded by the OU, involving real-time satellite-based volcano monitoring. Once he’s completed his thesis, he’d like to embark on postdoctoral research and lecturing.
He adds: ‘ My advice to anyone considering OU study of any kind is to remember that anything is possible, it’s not too late, you’re never too old and dreams do keep coming true — so carry on with the dream.
‘The OU can teach you how to walk and then you can start running.
‘For me, studying with the OU has meant that I can have a total change in career to a field that I’ve wanted to be in since I was a child.’ For more information about the open University log on to www.open.ac.uk