Alumnus champions access to digital learning to level the playing field

Studying during the pandemic, Graham saw how digital access was holding classmates back. “It was alarmingly apparent that some students were using their mobile phones because they didn’t have other devices and you could see they were struggling,” he said. “They couldn’t see the slides in proper detail. I thought how can you work on spreadsheets in STEM subjects?”

That experience led him to support Birkbeck’s Access to Digital Learning Fund, which helps students who are unable to pay for the cost of essential IT resources to successfully engage with online study. Graham said: “I am a firm believer in giving people equal opportunities and levelling the playing field. As long as everyone has the same tools of the trade, then it really is about ability, attitude and application.”

As well his donations to Birkbeck, Graham has given back his time by mentoring final-year students through the Mentoring Pathways programme, drawing on his insights from more than 40 years as a lawyer specialising in energy, infrastructure and project finance, including senior roles at Allen & Overy and Covington & Burling, and as General Counsel of BG Group plc.

He said: “Law can be quite baffling and so I think it’s important to pass on some of the insights I’ve gained to people who are starting out in the profession.”

For Graham, though, coming back to university was about fulfilling a long-held personal ambition. He first discovered his passion for German culture and history while studying law at Oxford, when he spent a transformative year studying German law in Munich. Although his career in law took centre stage for many years, he says he always felt “a bit missing” and Birkbeck’s flexible evening study made returning to education possible. He said: “I saw Birkbeck’s advert on the tube and the evening classes were a huge draw.”

Reflecting on his experience, Graham says both the learning and the diverse student community left a deep impression. “It was quite enriching to mix with different generations. I brought my lived experience, but I also learnt from the inquiring minds of undergraduates. In addition, one of the big takeaways for me was the sheer joy of engaging again with academics who really knew their stuff.”

Now retired, Graham continues to put his German into practice, whether through travel, reading or cultural experiences. He credits his Birkbeck studies for enriching his retirement and giving him the chance to give back.

Graham is part of a special community of alumni who make multi-year commitments to Birkbeck’s strategic student support priorities. His significant gift helps at least ten students each year access the essential IT resources they need to engage fully with online study — a transformational impact made possible through the collective generosity of donors at every level.