Iranian refugee who demonstrated remarkable resilience to pursue education successfully graduates

An Iranian refugee who endured a violent attack shortly after beginning secondary school in Wales - forcing her to take significant time off to recover - will graduate from Cardiff Metropolitan University this week.

Sep Azizimavilkhiavi arrived in the UK from Iran with her family as an asylum seeker in 2014 - after leaving her home country for a safer life - aged 14. The family was eventually relocated from London to Cardiff, where she has spent the last ten years and now calls home.

Sep, now 24, is graduating from Cardiff Met with a degree in BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition, and explains how education has always been important to her parents.

“My father is a hardworking man and he worked as a mechanic in Iran to pay for an expensive education for myself and my sister.”

However, Sep’s introduction to education in Wales was not a positive experience. Three days after joining a secondary school in Wales, Sep was the victim of a brutal attack by fellow peers. As a result of her injuries and in fear of it happening again, Sep was unable to return to school for most of the following academic year.

Despite the attack, Sep eventually returned to school to get her GCSEs before attending sixth form in Cardiff where she succeeded in passing her A-Levels with top grades including an A* in Farsi, B in Maths and a distinction in BTEC Applied Science.

“I cannot credit my sixth form school enough. One of my teachers, Ms Taylor, was so kind and caring and knew how to deal with a pupil whose first language was not English,” Sep said.

Sep highlighted how looking after her own wellbeing and mental health inspired her to study food science as a degree at Cardiff Met:

“At 18 years old, I started to really focus and see the positive results of having a healthy body after struggling with loneliness and depression. I found food really helped me.

“I have had a great experience at Cardiff Met, lovely tutors and classmates. And although my journey has been tough at times, I have met so many kind people along the way. Who I am now is because of all the ups and down I have experienced.”

Ginnie Winter, Lecturer in Food Science and Technology at Cardiff Metropolitan University, said: “Sep’s approach to her degree should be inspiring for other students for whom English is their second language. Her attitude, character and determination in everything she does will set her up well for whatever career path she chooses. I wish her the best.”

Sep has already received job offers and plans to stay living in Cardiff close to her family.