Dr Swan, 87, will become Queensland University of Technology’s oldest ever graduate when he collects his latest degree – a Master of Arts (Research) – in Brisbane on Wednesday morning.

The Ipswich resident had already achieved two masters degrees and a PhD – the most recent of which was 20 years ago – and said there was a sense of full circle to his upcoming graduation.

“Kelvin Grove Teachers’ College is a part of QUT and I remember with great affection and admiration the people who taught me at the Teachers’ College in the 1940s,” Dr Swan said.

Dr Swan’s masters thesis, The Rise and Demise of the Inspector of Schools in Queensland, examines the defunct role he himself played in the Queensland education system prior to his retirement in 1987.

He held the position of Inspector of Schools (Special Education), the first to do so, after he started his special education teaching in 1953.

Dr Swan said while the school inspectors had been consigned to history, they were an important part of the fabric of Queensland education and should not be forgotten.

“They were part of the scene from 1859, and even before that, until 1989. Inspectors were part of the education department and they had various districts in the state,” Dr Swan said.

“They visited schools each year to see that they were well run and they were regarded as the representative of the director-general of education in the field.”

Things had certainly changed a lot since Dr Swan’s previous foray into academia.

“What I found interesting this time is that one didn’t have to provide a hard copy,” he said.

“One provided the thesis on the net and the university publishes it as an e-book that can be accessed by anybody.

“It’s absolutely wonderful – it saves a forest of trees, don’t you reckon? It’s just marvellous, the new technologies.”

Dr Swan’s family will be on hand when he dons his mortar board and robes on Wednesday.

“My wife died a couple of years ago but our two adopted children will be there,” he said.

“They’re very proud.”