Individuals making a difference
Honorary awards go to individuals who have made and continue to make a significant contribution to our world and who reflect University of 1024ºË¹¤³§ ambitions to do the same.
Learn more about this year's Honorary Degree holders:
Robert Hillier
Doctor of Law, 2001
2023
- Anna Mitchell
- Becca Dean MBE
- Dame Vivian Hunt
- Haris Kiani
- Jane Hoskins
- Lauren Steadman MBE
- Naomi Climer CBE
- Roni Savage
- Vanessa Kingori
2022
- Cath Longhurst
- Professor David Croisdale-Appleby
- Lord David Willetts
- Dorothy Byrne
- Hana Afiya Satriyo
- Janet Ayers
- June Sarpong
- Tim Jackson
- Tom Ilube
2020 & 2021
No Honorary Degrees awarded due to Covid-19
2019
- Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
- Air Vice Marshall Matar bin Ali Al Obaidani
- Mark Catlin
- Kevin Holmes
- Sarah Kenny
- Jason Mallinson
- Heather Melville
- Professor Lynne Segal
- Simon Weston
2018
- Cecilia Anim
- Marie Costa
- Professor Kevin Fenton
- Clare Martin
- Bill Salmond
- Dame Stephanie Shirley
- Julian Wadsworth
2017
- Sir Charles Benedict Ainslie
- Graham G Bryant
- Hugh Dennis
- Jo de Serrano
- Alex Hibbert
- Neville George Lawrence
- John Patrick McCarthy
- Alan Priddy
2016
- Tracey Curtis-Taylor
- Alexzandra Hildred
- Linvoy Stephen Primus
- Ashok Soni
- Anne Stevens
- Tim Peake
2015
- Karen Blackett
- Michael Newey
- Professor Jim Al-Khalili
- Stuart Iles
- Baroness Helena Kennedy
- Will King
2014
- John Akomfrah
- Simon Ward
2013
- Cecilia McDowall
- Professor John Craven
- Professor Sir Bill Wakeham
- Lady Justice Hallett
2012
- Claire Tomalin
- Rear Admiral John Lippiett
- Kevin Warwick
2011
- Lord Rees of Ludlow
- Barbara Tipple
2010
- Professor Nairn Wilson
- Sandi Toksvig
- Bronwin Carter
2009
- John Bannell
- Dr John Mason
- Professor Neil Rackham
- Alison Goldfrapp
- Martin Whitmarsh
- Liz Earle
- Lol Coxhill (deceased)
2008
- Maggie Winchcombe
- Paul Lester
- Jayne Zito
- Suzie Templeton
- Howard Brenton
- Xu Zhenhua
- Sir John Armitt
- The Rt Revd Kenneth Stevenson (deceased)
2007
- Graham Hurley
- Bishop Crispian Hollis
- Dr Dee Symons
- Carole Damper
- David Price
- Ben Fogle
- Baroness Anne Gibson (deceased)
- Christopher Logue (deceased)
- Robert Hardy (deceased)
2006
- Peter Neyroud
- Professor Dzulkifli Adbul Razak
- Reverend Canon Jane Hedges
- Professor James Gunn
- Rhona Lucas
- Ted Cantle
- John Madden
- Dillie Keane
- Robin Gorman (deceased)
2005
- Admiral the Lord Michael Boyce
- Joseph Hardy III
- Sheila Hancock
- Rob Hutchinson
- Shirley Robertson
- Sir David Brown
- Michelle Magorian
- James S Lamb (deceased)
- Don Lusher (deceased)
- Dame Margaret Seward (deceased)
2004
- Joe Jackson
- Martin Jay
- Sir Roger Fry
- Professor Peter Crane
- Karl Jeffery
- General Sir David Ramsbotham
- Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop
- Colin White (deceased)
2003
- Robin Smith
- Esther Rantzen
- Pawel Pawlikowski
- Milan Mandaric
- Tafilani Machacha
- George Alagiah (deceased)
- Dr Natarajan Varaprasad
- Fred Dinenage
- Zenna Atkins
2002
- Sir Nigel Wicks
- Caroline Williams
- HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal
- Professor Dr Rexhep Meidani
- Paul Jones
- Professor S Jocelyn Bell Burnell
- Peter White
- Betty Burton (deceased)
- Lt Col Richard Waterer (deceased)
- His Eminence Cormac Murphy-O'Connor (deceased)
- Patrick Caulfield (deceased)
2001
- Robert Hillier
- Edward Jones
- Ron White
- Dr William Haseltine
- Leah Scott
- Professor Christine King
- Matthew Pinsent
- Campbell McMurray
- Terry Pratchett (deceased)
- John Peel (deceased)
2000
- Dame Mary Fagan
- Professor Liam Donaldson
- Sir Ranulph Fiennes
- Professor Sir Colin Stansfield Smith (deceased)
- Diana Lamplugh (deceased)
- Sir Julian Oswald (deceased)
- Professor Michael J Baker (deceased)
1999
- Sir Chay Blyth
- Michael Erotokritos
- Professor Bill Bonnor (deceased)
- Baroness Phyllis Dorothy James (deceased)
- Dr Margaret Rule (deceased)
- Professor Gordon McVie (deceased)
1998
- Professor Elizabeth Loftus
- Jerome O'Hea
- Professor Haro Bedelian
- Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahurudin
- Richard Noble
- Professor Herbert French (deceased)
- Dr David Houghton (deceased)
1997
- HE Don Alberto Aza Arias
- Professor Dr Helmut Schrey
- John Hoddinott (deceased)
- Dr Patrick Moore (deceased)
- Sir Charles Tidbury (deceased)
- Lord Frank Judd (deceased)
- Professor James Mirrlees (deceased)
1996
- Simon Armitage
- Sir Anthony Cleaver
- Derek Fawcett
- Alan Knight
- Professor Kenneth Rawson
- Graham Smart
- Hedley Greentree (deceased)
- Sir Terence Conran (deceased)
1995
- John Ekins
- Evelyn Glennie
1994
- The Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley
- Antonia Byatt (deceased)
- Professor Dr Ahmed Dewedar
- Dato Dr Ahmad Nawawi
- Professor Ghillean Prance
- Dr Alan Rudge
- Anita Roddick (deceased)
- Sir John Smith (deceased)
- Shirley Metherell (deceased)
1993
- Linford Christie
- Dr David Fletcher
- Peter Mills
- Yvonne Moores
- Lord Palumbo of Walbrook
- Michael Pipes
- Sir Mark Richmond
- The Right Rev Dr David Stancliffe
- Professor William Davey (deceased)
- Professor Sir Gordon Higginson (deceased)
- The Earl of Snowdon Anthony Armstrong-Jones (deceased)
- Professor John Elliott (deceased)
1992
- Edward Clemence
- Victor Jenner (deceased)