Seven honorary degree recipients for 25/26 summer graduations

An award-winning icon of black British photography, a national leader in education, an AI pioneer, and one of the country’s longest serving university registrars have received honorary degrees from the University of Birmingham at the July graduation ceremonies.

The seven recipients have all been recognised for their unique and impactful contribution to their respective industries.

An honorary degree is the University of Birmingham's highest honour, awarded to eminent individuals who have made an exemplary contribution of regional, national, or international significance to their field. Previous honorary graduates include Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet Carlos Acosta CBE, the University of Birmingham’s Chancellor Sandie Okoro OBE, Nobel Prize winners Professors David Thouless and Mike Kosterlitz, and award-winning actor-director Kenneth Brannagh.

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said: “Our honorary graduates represent the very best of human endeavour. From higher education and photography to the rapidly evolving world of AI, their achievements demonstrate the many ways in which talent, creativity and leadership can enrich society. Whether celebrating long-standing members of our community or those joining it through this honour, we are proud to recognise their remarkable contributions and the example they set for future generations.”

Deborah Cadman OBE

Deborah Cadman OBE is a University alumna who has spent more than four decades leading change across local, regional and national government. Born and raised in Birmingham, she returned to the city as Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council after serving in senior leadership roles across the UK, including as the first Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Her work has included securing investment for the region, leading Birmingham's role in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and guiding the city through significant organisational and financial change.

Awarded an OBE for services to local government, Deborah has built her career around creating places where people can thrive. Alongside her executive leadership, she now holds a number of non-executive roles and continues to champion inclusive growth, mentorship and leadership shaped by empathy, curiosity, bravery and truth.

Vanley Burke

Vanley Burke is a Jamaican-born photographer whose work has documented the lives and experiences of Birmingham's Black communities for more than 60 years. Living and working in Handsworth for many years, he has created an extensive photographic record of migration, identity and everyday life, capturing the social history of Birmingham from an insider's perspective. 

Often referred to as the 'godfather of Black British photography', Vanley's work is held in major public collections in the UK and internationally, while his archive is preserved at the Library of Birmingham. Alongside his artistic practice, he is currently artist in residence with University Collections, where he continues to work with the University of Birmingham through exhibitions, research collaborations and mentoring, exploring the city's history and its diverse communities.

Lee Sanders

Lee Sanders has dedicated more than 30 years to higher education leadership, including 17 years as Registrar and Secretary at the University of Birmingham. During his time at the University, he played a central role in major institutional developments, from campus investment and governance to staff development, while helping to shape Birmingham's long-term strategic vision.

Beyond Birmingham, Lee has contributed to higher education nationally and internationally through leadership roles with the Association of Heads of University Administration and sector-wide collaborations focused on professional services and university management. His leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic helped guide the University through one of the most significant periods in its history, while his work to support the development of professional services staff has influenced practice across the sector.

Sir Hamid Patel CBE

Sir Hamid Patel CBE is one of the UK's most influential education leaders, dedicated to transforming opportunities for young people through outstanding schools. As founder and Chief Executive of Star Academies, he has grown the organisation from a single school in Blackburn into one of England's highest-performing multi-academy trusts, delivering exceptional outcomes for pupils in disadvantaged communities, including schools in Birmingham.

Knighted for his services to education, Sir Hamid has played a leading role in shaping education policy nationally, serving as interim Chair of the Ofsted Board, Vice Chair of the National Institute of Teaching and Chair of the Education Honours Committee. Alongside his national leadership, he maintains strong ties to Birmingham as an Honorary Professor of Education at the University of Birmingham. His work continues to demonstrate how high expectations, collaboration and a commitment to serving communities can transform lives through education.

Urvashi Prasad

Urvashi Prasad is a University of Birmingham alumna whose career spans science, public policy and public health. After graduating in Biological Sciences (Genetics) at Birmingham, she took an MPhil at the University of Cambridge and an MSc at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She served as a Director in the Office of the Vice Chairperson at NITI Aayog, the Government of India's apex public policy institution, helping shape national strategy on health, nutrition, sanitation and sustainable development, including India's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her work centres on health equity. She is the founding director of PAVANA - Centre for Air Pollution and Environmental Health, and Editor-in-Chief of the Global South Healthcare Journal. Diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer herself, she has become one of India's leading advocates for patients - leading ALK Positive India and creating the country's first national evidence-to-policy platform on cancer in young adults - on the principle that lived experience is itself a form of evidence. She serves as a British Council Alumni UK Ambassador for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and her honours include selection as an IASLC STARS Scholar, the Conquer Cancer/ASCO Patient Advocate Award, the IASLC's Patient Advocate Educational Award at the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona, and a previous honorary doctorate awarded in India in 2024. Her memoir, Still Here, will be published in late 2026.

Urvashi remains closely connected to the University of Birmingham, supporting its students and sharing her experience with the next generation of scientists and public health leaders.

Professor David Adams

Professor David Adams is a University of Birmingham alumnus, Emeritus Professor of Hepatology, and clinician-scientist whose work has advanced the understanding and treatment of liver disease. Returning to Birmingham after postdoctoral training, he established a research programme focused on immune-mediated liver disease, with discoveries that continue to inform clinical research and patient care.

Over a career spanning more than three decades at the University, Professor Adams also held senior leadership roles including Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Head of the College of Medical and Dental Sciences and Director of Birmingham Health Partners. He continues to contribute to medical research and education through his role as Registrar of the Academy of Medical Sciences and as a non-executive director of Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

Llion Jones

Llion Jones is a pioneering artificial intelligence researcher, entrepreneur and University of Birmingham alumnus whose work has helped shape the future of AI. After joining Google Research in 2015, he co-authored the landmark 2017 paper Attention Is All You Need, introducing the Transformer architecture that underpins today's most advanced generative AI systems, including ChatGPT, Gemini and many other large language models.

Originally from north Wales and now based in Tokyo, Llion has combined world-leading research with entrepreneurship as co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Sakana AI, one of Japan's fastest-growing AI companies. His work continues to explore new approaches to push on the frontier and taking the long bet. He has been championing what is sometimes known as “post-transformer” research, while pushing the boundaries of what the technology can achieve. A graduate of the University of Birmingham, Llion's career demonstrates how curiosity, bold thinking and a willingness to challenge established ideas can lead to innovations with global impact.