Graduation
Honorary graduates
Each year we confer honorary awards upon individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievement in their field, their contribution to the region or society or service to the university.
Honorary Graduates 2023
Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Hetan Shah, Doctor of Science (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2023 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2022
The Most Rev and Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell - Doctor of Theology (honoris causa)
Lisa Holdsworth - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
The Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin MBE - Doctor of Theology (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2022 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2021
Ann M Green CBE - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2021 honorary graduate.
Honorary Graduates 2019
Emma Crosby - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Ian Gillies – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
John Godber - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Dr Doug Gurr – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Dr Darren Henley OBE – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Benjamin Myers – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Gary O'Donoghue - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Jonathan Straight – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Agnes (Cokie) van der Velde – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2019 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates and Fellows 2018
Reeta Chakrabarti – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Harry Gration – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Matt Haig – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Rt Hon Lady Hale DBE, PC, LLD, FBA – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Eddie Izzard – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Carol Kane - Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Allan Leighton – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Stuart Murphy – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Helen Sharman CMG, OBE, FRSC, FIScT - Doctor of Science (honoris causa)
Sue Smith – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Anne Wafula Strike MBE - Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Dianne Willcocks CBE, DL – Doctor of Education (honoris causa)
Bishop James Bell - Honorary Fellowship
Alexander Carberry - Honorary Fellowship
Jane Hanstock - Honorary Fellowship
Dr Ann Lees - Honorary Fellowship
Simon Wright - Honorary Fellowship
Read more about our 2018 honorary graduates and fellows.
Honorary Graduates and Fellows 2017
Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE – Doctor of Education (honoris causa)
Bishop James Jones KBE – Doctor of Theology (honoris causa)
Dr Paddy Ladd – Doctor of Education (honoris causa)
Campbell Robb – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Philip Thake – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Errollyn Wallen MBE – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Dame Penelope Wilton DBE – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Professor Dame Til Wykes – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Yorkshire Rows – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Steve Rowe – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
David Reiss - Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
John ‘Jack’ Harrison – Posthumous Honorary Fellowship
Colin Parkin MBE - Honorary Fellowship
Sylvia Shepherd - Honorary Fellowship
Melly Still - Honorary Fellowship
Read more about our 2017 honorary graduates and fellows.
Honorary Graduates and Fellows 2016
Hannah Cockroft MBE - Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Julia Davis - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Brian Deer - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Lizzie Deignan - Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Lyse Doucet OBE - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Chris Evans - Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
James Martin - Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Jamie Peacock MBE - Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Manvinder Rattan - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Cherie Federico - Honorary Fellowship
John Finnigan - Honorary Fellowship
Greg Hoyland - Honorary Fellowship
Professor Steve Watson - Posthumous Honorary Fellowship
Read more about our 2016 honorary graduates and fellows.
Honorary Graduates 2015
Mark Addy - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea - Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
David Bradley - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Professor David Fleming - Doctor of Education (honoris causa)
Alastair Fothergill - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Andrew Marr - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Keith Massey - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Christian Prudhomme - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Una Stubbs - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2015 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2014
Sir Ian Gibson CBE - Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Will Hutton - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Lord Indarjit Singh CBE - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2014 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2013
Sir Philip Craven MBE – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Shami Chakrabarti CBE – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Professor the Baroness Haleh Afshar OBE, ACSS – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Martine Wright – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2013 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2012
Most Reverend Desmond Tutu - Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Ian McMillan - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Glynn Ryland - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Julia Unwin CBE - Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Sandi Toksvig - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Dr Elizabeth White - Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2012 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2011
Sir Alan Ayckbourn – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Marc Bolland – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Hendre Fourie – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Alan Rayment – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Mike Tomlinson – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Howard Webb MBE – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2011 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2010
James Caan – Doctor of Business Administration (honoris causa)
Valerie Taylor – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Janakiraman Ramachandran – Doctor of Education (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2010 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates 2009
Eva Schloss - Doctor of Education (honoris causa)
Tanya Barron - Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)
Andrew Dunn - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Peter Randall-Page - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2009 honorary graduates.
Honorary Graduates and Fellows 2008
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Margot Brown - Honorary Fellowship
Rebecca Cooper - Honorary Fellowship
Professor James Walvin - Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)
Read more about our 2008 honorary graduates and fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2007
Andrew Motion
Gareth Rees
Margaret Winchcombe
Yuichiro Nakagawa
Read more about our 2007 honorary fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2006
Kate Adie
Cynthia Cockburn
Wolfgang Mastnak
Read more about our 2006 honorary fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2005
Liz Allen
Ken Atkinson
Mark Herman
David Hope
Read more about our 2005 honorary fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2004
HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal
Len Cruddas
Kay Mellor
Read more about our 2004 honorary fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2003
Kate Atkinson
Revd Dr Stuart Burgess
Dr William Thomas
Read more about our 2003 honorary fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2002
Madeline Hall-Jackson
John Maw
Professor Gervase Phinn
Read more about our 2002 honorary fellows.
Honorary Fellows 2001
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson OBE
Professor Gordon McGregor
Catherine Roberts
Ken Ridley
Read more about our 2001 honorary fellows.