Honorary Graduates 2013

Sir Philip Craven MBE – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

A five-time Paralympian in wheelchair basketball, representing Great Britain from 1972 to 1988, Sir Philip has made a significant impact on the Paralympic movement and UK sport.

He has headed the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) since 2001, previously serving as President of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and Chairman of Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association (GBWBA).

In 1991 Sir Philip was awarded an MBE for services to Wheelchair Basketball and in 2005 he was made a Knight Bachelor for services to Paralympic Sport.

Shami Chakrabarti CBE – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)

As one of the nation’s leading civil liberties campaigners, Shami has been Director of Liberty, the human rights campaigning group, since September 2003. Her role has seen her play a major part in Liberty’s engagement with the ‘War on Terror’ and with the defence and promotion of human rights values in Parliament, the Courts and wider society.

Shami was one of six independent assessors advising Lord Justice Leveson in his public inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the UK press. A Barrister by background, she worked as a lawyer in the Home Office from 1996-2001 for both Governments.

She was awarded a CBE in 2007 for her services to human rights.

Professor the Baroness Haleh Afshar OBE, ACSS – Doctor of Letters (honoris causa)

Haleh is Emerita Professor of Politics and Women’s Studies at the University of York where she teaches courses on Islam and the Middle East. She is also the Visiting Professor of Islamic Law at the Faculté Internationale de Droit Comparé at Strasbourg.

Haleh was born and raised in Iran where she worked as a journalist and a civil servant. She has served as the Chair for the British Association of Middle Eastern Studies and Deputy Chair of the British Council’s Gender and Development Task Force. She has also served as the Chair of United Nation Association’s International Services and is now its Honorary President.

In 2005 she was awarded an OBE for services to equal opportunities, and she was appointed a cross-bench Life Peer in 2007.

Martine Wright – Doctor of Health Sciences (honoris causa)

Martine lost both legs in the London 7/7 terrorist attacks on the London underground, sitting just feet away from the bomber. Following a painful year of rehabilitation including learning to walk again on prosthetics, she has since rebuilt her life, skydived, learned to fly, and become a member of the British 2012 Paralympic volleyball team.

A driving force in Team GB’s gold efforts at the London 2012 Games, Martine was a founding member of the GB women's volleyball squad having become hooked on the sport of sitting volleyball following a try-out day for amputees.