More than 5,000 students will celebrate their graduation across 16 ceremonies at the University of Birmingham from 7 to14 July 2006.
They will be joined by the following 16 honorary graduands:
Friday 7th July
10.30am – Professor Graham Zellick, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Graham Zellick has been Chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission since November 2003. He is a public and constitutional lawyer with particular interests in civil liberties, prisoners’ rights and criminal justice, and the law of higher education. He has been Chairman of the Committee of Heads of UK University Law Schools, the Tel Aviv University Trust Lawyers’ Group and the Legal Committee of the Parliamentary War Crimes Group.
1.45pm – Hon Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize (Alumna of the Year)
Michelle Arana, attorney-at-law and notary public, was appointed the first female Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize in January 2006. Previously she was Registrar General and Registrar of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Belize. She has degrees from Ball State University, Indiana, University of the West Indies, and a Masters from the University of Birmingham. In 1998 she was appointed to serve on the National Women’s Commission in Belize.
4.30pm – Mr Nicholas Kingsley, Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
Nick Kingsley is the Head of National Advisory Services and Secretary of the Historical Manuscripts Commission at The National Archives. This year he is also Chairman of the European Union’s Document Lifecycle Management Forum. In 1989 he came to Birmingham as City Archivist and established the City Council’s records management service. Nick was Chairman of the National Council on Archives from 2001 to 2005.
Monday 10th July
10.30am – Datuk Abdul Rahim Hj Hashim, Doctor of Engineering (DEng)
Datuk Abdul Rahim Hj Hashim is the Vice President of the Gas Business Division of PETRONAS, the Malaysian National Oil Company. He is also President of the Malaysian Gas Association and President of the Asia Pacific Natural Gas Vehicle Association. Datuk Abdul Rahim Hj Hashim is a University alumnus, graduating in Electronics and Electrical Engineering in 1976.
1.45pm – Mr Ian Heggie, Doctor of Engineering (DEng)
Mr Ian Heggie is a distinguished engineer and economist who is renowned for his work with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. In 1996 he was awarded the World Bank Presidential Award for Excellence for his involvement in the Africa Road Maintenance Initiative. Until 2005 he was an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Birmingham, teaching on the MSc course in Highway Management and Engineering.
4.30pm – Professor Brian Allen, Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
Brian Allen is an art historian and Director of Studies at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, a position he has held since 1992. Brian is an authority on 18th century British art and has written extensively in the field. He served as Chairman of the National Art Collections Fund between 2002 – 2004 and for many years was Editor of the Walpole Society’s annual volumes.
Tuesday 11th July
10.30am – Professor Sir Ian Kennedy. Doctor of Medicine (MD)
Professor Sir Ian Kennedy is Chairman of the Healthcare Commission. He is a lawyer who has written and lectured widely on the law and the ethics of healthcare. He was a member of the GMC for nine years, was Chairman of the public inquiry into paediatric cardiac surgery at Bristol, and was a member of the Department of Health’s advisory group on AIDS. In 2002 he was knighted for services to medical law and bioethics.
1.45pm – Baroness Morris of Yardley, Doctor of the University (DUniv)
Baroness Morris of Yardley was created a life peer in June 2005. Estelle began her career teaching in inner-city Coventry before moving into politics in 1992 when she was elected into Parliament for Birmingham Yardley. She has had a distinguished career in politics, holding positions as, School Standards Minister, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and Minister for the Arts.
4.30pm – Professor Sigbert Prais, Doctor of Science (DSc)
Professor Sigbert Prais is an eminent economist who has spent the majority of his career in economic research at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. A significant part of this research has been into the international comparison of school-leaving standards, improvements in vocational education, schooling standards and teaching methods. He is a member of the National Curriculum committee for maths and was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1985.
Wednesday 12th July
10.30am – Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Doctor of Divinity (DD)
Michael Langrish has been Bishop of Exeter since 2005. Previously he was Canon of Coventry Cathedral and Suffragan Bishop of Birkenhead. He is a member of the House of Bishops, Chairman of the Rural Affairs Committee of the Board for Mission and Public Affairs, Chairman of the Melanesian Mission UK and a Board Member of Christian Aid. In the Autumn of 2005 he became a member of the House of Lords.
1.45pm – Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, Doctor of the University (DUniv)
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh is Spiritual Successor and Chairperson of Guru Nanak Niskam Sewak Jatha, a registered Sikh charity which has an estimated one-million members worldwide. Educated in civil and structural engineering, Bhai Sahib has managed projects across Africa, India and the UK, focussing on spiritual regeneration, conservation, health, education and employment. Bhai Sahib serves on the University of Birmingham Community Advisory Board and is Patron of the United Religions Initiative
4.30pm – Mr Quentin Peel, Doctor of the University (DUniv)
After training as a journalist on the Newcastle Journal Quentin Peel joined the Financial Times in 1975 where he has held various positions, currently as International Affairs Editor. He is widely recognised as a leading authority on the Transatlantic relationship, the European Union, Russia and Germany. For the last 3 years Quentin has been an active member of the University’s Centre for the Study of Security and Diplomacy Advisory Board.
Thursday 13th July
10.30am – Professor Marek Belka, Doctor of Science (DSc)
Professor Marek Belka is Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. He has helped to direct Iraq’s post-war economy serving most recently as Director of Economic Policy. He is the former Prime Minister of Poland and has held the position of Chief Economic Advisor to the President of Poland. He has been consultant to the World Bank, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Albania and Senior Advisor to JP Morgan for Central and Eastern Europe.
1.45pm – Revd Stuart Burgess, Doctor of the University (DUniv)
Stuart Burgess is Chairman of the Countryside Agency, Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities and Rural Advocate to the Government. He is also a member of the Ethics Committee for the Department of Work and Pensions. He was heavily involved in community regeneration programmes following the Foot and Mouth Crisis, and the closure of the Selby Coalfields. Stuart was Chaplain to the University of Birmingham between 1981 – 1989.
4.30pm – Mr John Ruddick, Doctor of Music (DMus)
John Ruddick worked as an architect for the City of Coventry for over 20 years before retiring in 1993. He is a renowned freelance jazz musician who has been Musical Director of the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra since 1981, 11 times winners in the BBC National Big Band Competition. In 1996, and again in 2004, he received the "Outstanding Musician" award by the BBC.
Friday 14th July
10.30am – Dr Jonathan Coe, Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
Jonathan Coe is an award winning novelist whose 2001 book The Rotter’s Club, a semi-autobiographical account of growing up in Birmingham in the 1970s, won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize and was dramatised on BBC radio and BBC television. In 2005 his biography of novelist B S Johnson Like a Fiery Elephant won the Samuel Johnson award for non-fiction.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
There will be an opportunity to photograph the honorary graduands in the 15 minutes prior to each degree ceremony. Please telephone the press office for accreditation.
For further information:
Anna Mitchell – Press Officer, University of Birmingham
0121 414 6029 / 07920 593946
a.i.mitchell@bham.ac.uk