2019 July Award Ceremonies under way

Nine days of ceremonies start today

DURING 34 ceremonies over nine days, some 3,000 students of the University of Huddersfield will be awarded their degrees.

Also, honorary doctorates are to be awarded to eight people distinguished in a variety of fields.  

The Chancellor of the University, His Royal Highness The Duke of York, KG, will also come to Huddersfield for the award ceremonies.  While on the campus, the Duke will also open the new £30 million Barbara Hepworth Building and present the annual Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Awards to students from 15 northern universities.

On Wednesday 10 July, at 1.45pm, there will be a procession of gowned students and academics, beginning at Huddersfield’s St George’s Square and arriving at the venue, the historic St Paul’s Hall, in time for the 2.30pm awards ceremony.

In addition to former students receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, plus other diplomas and certificates, there will also be doctorates awarded to 125 researchers who have successfully completed their theses.

Honorary Doctorates of the University are to be awarded to (in alphabetical order):

• Simon Blagden CBE, a regular advisor to the UK Government who has spent over 30 years championing British business around the world,
• Chris Brown OBE DL is a businessman and former High Sheriff of West Yorkshire who became a member of the University of Huddersfield Governing Council 1996 and has now stood down after 15 years’ service as its chair,
• John Dixon, an educationalist who has been influential in the UK and many countries overseas,
• Ann Francke, CEO of Chartered Management Institute and an expert on challenges facing women in the workplace,
• Jason Mallinson, from Huddersfield, an exploration and rescue cave diver, who last year recently helped plan and carry out the rescue of the trapped boys’ football team from flooded caves in Thailand.  His previous exploits have led him to set distance and depth records in caves all over the world,
• Dapinder Singh QC, who studied law at Huddersfield and became a barrister much in demand for cases of fraud and serious crime and a Recorder in the Crown Court,
• Gavin Sutherland is Music Director of English National Ballet and a Huddersfield music graduate who has recorded over 100 CDs and numerous film scores,
• His Excellency Liu Xiaoming has been the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the UK since 2009.