University Honours Leading
Figures
Outspoken MP and critic of
the Iraq war Clare Short was among a group of distinguished figures honoured
this summer by the University.
Ms Short received an honorary
degree for her work in international development and, in particular, her
work during six years as Secretary of State.
Ms Short dodged the rain showers
to receive her award before visiting the Bradford Centre for International
Development and the Department of Peace Studies, where she took time out
to chat to students.
She
said she had much admiration for the Department's work, and in particular
for the Professor of Peace Studies Paul Rogers. "He speaks more wisdom
than many other people at these times," she said. "I get offered many
[honorary degrees] but this was one I wanted to accept."
Ms Short received her degree
alongside Nobel Prize-winner Sir Paul Nurse.
The previous day, honours went
to leading pharmaceutical figure Joyce Kearney, former University of Leeds
Vice-Chancellor Sir Alan Wilson and Alan Tuckett, a pioneer in the field
of adult literacy.
In two ceremonies held on
the Friday, Sir Michael Bichard and communications pioneer Professor Charles
Sandbank received honorary degrees.
Sir Michael was chairman of
Bradford's Capital of Culture bid, of which he said: "We should take many
positives from it. I get warm feelings coming in to Bradford. People are
always welcoming."
Professor Chris Taylor, Vice-Chancellor
of the University, said it was "with great pride" that the University
had been given the opportunity to give doctorates to these "distinguished"
guests.
Joyce Kearney - Doctor
of the University
"For contributions
to the development of professionalism in the pharmaceutical industry"
- Worked in the pharmaceutical
industry for 42 years and became a freelance Sales and PR consultant
in 1993.
- Supported many branches
of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and numerous other prestigious
and influential science groups.
- Set in motion many
initiatives to help Bradford students and supported the British
Pharmaceutical students with their annual conference.
She said: "I was absolutely
overwhelmed and feel very honoured to have been given this award."
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Professor Sir Alan Wilson
- Doctor of the University
"In recognition
of his long and distinguished academic career"
- Joined University
of Leeds as Professor of Urban and Regional Geography in 1970
and was Vice-Chancellor from 1990 to 2004.
- Appointed Chairman
of the newly formed NHS Complaints Review Committee in 1993 by
the Secretary of State.
- In October 2003, became
the first Director General for Higher Education at the Department
for Education and Skills.
He said: "I'm Bradford
born and bred, so I am very proud to receive this honorary degree
from the University."
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Alan Tuckett OBE - Doctor
of the University
"In recognition
of major contributions to the development of adult education in
the UK"
- Director of the National
Institute of Adult Continuing Education since 1988 after helping
to start the national adult literacy campaign.
- Special Professor
in Continuing Education at the University of Nottingham and Honorary
Professor in the Centre for Labour Market Studies at Leicester
University.
- Instigated Adult Learners'
Week as a festival to promote adult learning in the UK and was
instrumental in UNESCO adopting the week internationally.
He said: "Graduation
ceremonies are always awe-inspiring because they make a mark of
closure to an enormous amount of hard work by learners."
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Sir Paul Nurse - Doctor
of Science
"In recognition
of work on the control of the cell cycle and for his contributions
to cancer research"
- Graduated with a biology
major at Birmingham University and received his PhD in 1973 in
Cell Biology/Biochemistry at the University of East Anglia.
- Headed the Imperial
Cancer Research Fund's cell cycle control laboratory and later
became Director General. Appointed Chief Executive of Cancer Research
UK in 2002.
- Shared the Nobel Prize
in Medicine or Physiology in 2001 with two other scientists for
advancing scientific understanding of the process by which cells
make copies of themselves.
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Clare Short MP - Doctor
of Laws
"In recognition of
contributions in the field of international development"
- Former Director of
Youth Aid and of AFFOR, a community-based organisation promoting
racial equality in Birmingham.
- MP for Birmingham
Ladywood since 1983 and from 1996 until the 1997 General Election
was Opposition spokesperson on Overseas Development.
- Secretary of State
for International Development from 1997 to May 2003.
She said: "I get offered
many [honorary degrees] but this was one I wanted to accept."
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Sir Michael Bichard
- Doctor of Letters
"For contributions
to education and for his support for the City of Bradford"
- Worked throughout
his career in the public sector - twenty years in Local Government
and nearly ten in Central Government.
- Appointed Permanent
Secretary of the Employment Department in 1995 before being appointed
Rector of The London Institute in 2001 - the largest Art and Design
Institute in Europe.
- Supported Bradford's
recent City of Culture bid through his position as Chairman of
the Executive Board.
He said: "This is an
outstanding University and that makes this [honorary degree] extra
special."
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Professor Charles Sandbank
- Doctor of Engineering
"In recognition
of his distinctive contributions to research into the fields of
electronics, telecommunications, digital broadcasting and HDTV"
- Developed some of
the first semiconductor integrated circuits to be produced in
Europe in the 1960s n Pioneered the use of optical fibres for
communications and, in 1976, built the world's first wideband
digital optical fibre communication system.
- Joined the BBC in
1978 as Head of its Research Department, where he initiated the
world's first digital broadcasting system - NICAM stereo sound.
He said: "I'm humbled
and honoured to receive this degree after being associated with
this University for seven years."
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28 September
2004
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