MUM Emilia Frith is planning to invite relatives from all four corners of the planet to her graduation ceremony in June, after completing a degree course with the Open University.

Emilia, 51, who grew up in Slovakia, hopes her elderly parents can come over from Eastern Europe as well as the three of her four grown-up children who work abroad.

She is one of several York people who have completed courses from home while studying with the Open University.

Emilia, of Greystone Court, Haxby, York, said she decided to start studying for two reasons.

"I grew up in Slovakia and had two brothers and three sisters. My parents were working class and the emphasis throughout my growing up was on education and all six children were educated to the highest standard."

She got a degree in economics and foreign languages and worked for the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Prague.

"I was training to work in the diplomatic service and was sent to London to improve my English for a year, met my husband, went home, got married then came to the UK and had four children.

"I felt I must create an equilibrium in my education and get educated here.

"I also wanted to motivate my children to carry on studying to the best of their ability of academic achievement and I thought - do it yourself and prove to the children it can be done even at my time of life."

After five years, Emilia has now completed the work for her BSc (Honours) degree in psychology.

Her four children have all grown up and gone to university themselves. Patrick now works in Japan, Mark in Bahrain and Emma in Germany. Sally and her son, Jamie, still live in Haxby.

Her husband, Terry, often works away as he is in the Merchant Navy.

"I think I'm pretty well organised and disciplined - you have to be when you have four children and a husband who works away so much of the time.

"I studied for the first year about three hours a day, seven days a week, then about four hours a day, but not at weekends, for the next four years.

"I was returning back to studies after more than 20 years."

She said she hoped to find work or to do further study in psychotherapy or counselling.

"Perhaps when I'm 60 I'll start something else again," she said.

Other Open University graduates from the York area include Susan Langan (BSc), of York; Philippa Norman (BSc), of York; William Brown (MBA), of Low Petergate, York; John Issitt (PhD), of Fulford, York; Dorothy Meekins (BSc), of Fishergate, York; Sue Wragg (BA (Hons) humanities), of Wheldrake; David Croft (M Eng), of Rufforth; Vivianne Fraser (BSc Hons, of Copmanthorpe; Barbara Clarke (BA), of York; Clemens Morsch (BSc Hons, mathematical sciences), of Woodthorpe, York; Margaret Armstrong (MSc EDm), of Acomb, York, Patricia Fawdington (BA Hons), of Stockton Lane, York; Mandy Hyland (BSc Hons, psychology), of York; Sally Gregory (BSc Hons), of York.

Updated: 11:58 Monday, March 26, 2001