Rubi Franscisco

Rubi, 38, didn’t think she was cut out for higher education, until an exciting career change inspired a newfound passion for learning. Now working as a Diplomatic Assistant, Rubi says that her OU degree and masters have helped her to thrive.

“I never liked school. I think it was the structure of having to be somewhere at a certain time that I didn’t get on with. When I left, I went into nursing for a while, but I started to feel it wasn’t for me,” Rubi explained.

“I’d just been on a training course about how to complete a job application, when I saw an advert for a role at the Japanese Embassy in The Hague. I thought I may as well apply so that I could practice what I learned on the course, but I didn’t expect to get the job!”

Embracing the opportunity to learn

With no experience in the field, Rubi felt she was on a steep learning curve. “Although I was picking up a lot, which was more than enough to do my job, some things seemed illogical because I didn’t fully understand the context. I realised that my education wasn’t aligned with what I was doing professionally, and I wanted to do something about that.”

To help her progress in her diplomatic career, Rubi was looking for a qualification that would complement her work, but also remembered how much she loathed being confined to a timetable. Rubi had heard about The Open University, so she looked at the courses on offer and discovered the International Studies degree.

Studying her way

Rubi found that being able to choose the modules that interested her most and having the flexibility to manage her own time was a recipe for success. “I was surprised at how well I took to it. In fact, I got the best grades for my level 3 modules, which were the most difficult. It made me realise that I can study at a higher level, I just needed to find a way to study that suited me.”

Rubi described the personal impact of her OU experience, “Being responsible for my studies and managing my own time was very positive for me, it made me mature and develop. OU study gave me skills beyond a qualification – I grew as a person. I’m more confident and I now know what I can achieve.”

Reaching the next level

Living and working in the International City of Peace and Justice clearly rubbed off on Rubi. After successfully completing her BA Honours Degree, she had the bug for studying and chose the OU’s Masters of Laws as her next step.

I wanted to see how far I could go, and I did it! I took my parents, husband and son to my graduation ceremony in Belfast recently. They are all so proud,” Rubi said, “especially as I had a lot going on at the time. In 2021, I got married, had a baby and passed my Masters – it was the best year ever!

Professional development

Since embarking on her academic adventure, Rubi has been offered more opportunities to progress within her role. “Now that I’ve gained more knowledge of international relations and law through my studies, I’m able to take on more complex work. My role is to support diplomats who rotate every three years. I now have the confidence to give them advice and help them settle into their new role,” Rubi added, “maybe I’ll be a diplomat one day!”