'Truly exceptional' learner wins UHI Inverness Student of the Year 2025 award
A mature student who transformed her life by excelling at her studies while caring for a child with a rare condition has been named as the UHI Inverness Student of the Year 2025.
Ashti Ali (42) from Inverness had attempted to study at UHI Inverness twice before but was unable to due to the commitment of supporting her eldest son Shon (13) who has spent more than 1,000 days of his life in hospital and undergone 12 major operations.
However, after he started high school, Ashti was determined to achieve a qualification. A week after she walked into the campus to ask about available courses she began studying a fitness course.
She then progressed onto HNC Health, Fitness and Exercise in September and her experience during this academic year has transformed her confidence, fitness and academic abilities.
Ashti, who is originally from Kurdistan and moved to Scotland in 2008, has proved to be an exceptional student, producing excellent written work in her second language, representing her class as a Student Voice Representative and showing a real talent for fitness training.
She has achieved all this despite an extended stay with her son in a London children’s hospital in April when he suffered a life-threatening health crisis. Determined not to fall behind, she completed her assignments and assessments beforehand.
Lecturer Ross Pattison nominated her, describing her as a born leader who has passed every assignment and is now as fit as anyone in her class.
Ashti will be progressing onto the HND course after the summer and has ambitions to start up a business for women who are not comfortable exercising in mixed-gender settings, particularly Muslim women who may avoid using gyms for cultural and religious reasons.
She said the belief her lecturers have shown in her has made a lasting difference to her life.
“I am deeply honoured to be awarded Student of the Year at UHI Inverness and I’m truly grateful for the recognition,” she said.
“This achievement means so much to me, as it reflects not only my dedication to my studies but also the journey I’ve taken to get here. As a mother of two—one of whom has special needs—I juggle many responsibilities, including providing care and administering medical support. Balancing these roles while studying has been a challenge, but it has also been an incredibly rewarding experience. English is not my first language, and at times, academic writing and reading felt daunting.
“However, with the unwavering support of my lecturers, extra guidance and the resources available at UHI Inverness, I have grown tremendously. My confidence in research, writing, and critical analysis has strengthened, and I am proud of the progress I’ve made.
“I want to sincerely thank my lecturers Margarete Paschke and Ross Pattison for believing in me, for the support and encouragement I have received, especially for fostering an environment where students from diverse backgrounds can thrive. This award is not just a recognition of my hard work, but also a testament to the incredible learning community here. I would also like to thank my husband for his ongoing support.”
Her lecturer Ross said:
“In every way Ashti is truly the exceptional student that the Student of the Year is designed to recognise. From the start of her course her transformation personally, physically, mentally, in her writing, her confidence, her communication, her tenacity, her determination, her desire, has shone through. Ashti has come to us with a long-term plan, and we should consider ourselves very fortunate to play a part in this.”
Professor Chris O’Neil, Principal and Chief Executive of UHI Inverness, said:
“The standard of entries was particularly high this year and I want to congratulate every student who received a nomination, you are all a credit to UHI Inverness. Ashti exemplifies all the admirable qualities of an outstanding and inspiring student, and her award is a testament to her strength, resilience and determination.”