Honorary Awards Procedures and Criteria

Contents

Introduction 2

What is the purpose of Honorary Awards? 2

Who can be Awarded? 2

Who can submit a Nomination? 2

General Notes for Honorary Awards 3

Criteria of Honorary Awards 4

Process of Approval 6

Graduation Ceremonies 7

Forms and templates

Honorary Award Nomination Form

Version 2

Applicable from September 2017

Owned by: Clerk to the Council/Vice Chancellor’s Office

Approved by: Honorary Awards Committee

Equality Assessment completed on: tbc

If required this formal document is available in an alternative format eg Braille, tape, disc,

email or a larger font size. Please contact the Academic Quality Directorate.

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Honorary Awards Procedures and Criteria

Introduction

1 This document is a guide for the conferment of Honorary Awards from Buckinghamshire New University.

2 It provides information relating to the whole process from preparing and submitting a nomination through to the Honorary Awardee attending a Graduation Ceremony, together with the reasons why and principles used in approving honorary awards.

What is the purpose of Honorary Awards?

3 The University gives Honorary Awards primarily to honour those who have made a major contribution to academic, local, regional, national or international life.

4 Benefits to the University of giving Honorary Awards are:

a) to celebrate success.

b) to inspire graduating students – Honorary Awardees are given their awards during graduation ceremonies in September and often give speeches and meet with students before and after the ceremonies.

c) to champion Bucks students and provide role models for them, taking into consideration the diversity of the student body.

d) to promote the University and raise its profile.

e) to encourage to work, or acknowledge people who have worked with the University.

f) to consolidate established and develop new links with the University.

Who can be awarded an Honorary Award?

5 Honorary Awards are conferred on those who meet at least one of the following criteria:

a) to have made significant contributions to the academic work of the University;

b) to have earned national or international distinction for their services in their own field of work often associated more widely with education, business, culture, creative work or public service;

c) to have made a significant contribution to the local community.

Who can submit a nomination?

7 Anyone (internal or external to the University) can submit a nomination for another individual.

8 If the nominator has a personal relationship with the individual to be nominated (eg brother) this should be clearly stated on the form.

9 No individual may nominate themselves.

Guidance Notes for the Nominator

10 The nomination process is a confidential process and no person nominating an individual for an Honorary Award of the University should contact the individual concerned to discuss their potential nomination. Information required to complete the application form should be sought from sources other than the individual concerned and without raising public awareness of the nomination. This is to ensure that any potential nominee is not made aware of that they are being nominated as the decision whether to confer the awards has to be undertaken via the Honorary Awards Committee and subsequently ratified by Senate and Council.

11 Honorary awards given are generic in title eg, Honorary Doctorate, Honorary Bachelor of Arts or Science (not specific to a course). They are not specific to a programme of studies.

12 As much relevant information as possible needs to be included in the application, as the Honorary Awards Committee will make its judgements based only on the information provided. For example you may wish to attach a web link or a biographical extract.

13 If a Proposer wishes to nominate more than one individual it would be helpful if the proposer could indicate a suggested order of priority for those nominations.

14 To avoid possible misconceptions:

a) no past or current politicians may be nominated for matters that relate to their political careers

b) no persons who have direct or significant influence over funding bodies linked to the University may be nominated.

c) no nominee currently holding the role of Chancellor in a University will be awarded an Honorary award until after their term of Chancellor has ended.

d) no persons currently employed by the University or by an academic partner institution can be nominated for an Hon Doc/MA/MSc/BA/BSc for recognition of work relating to delivery of courses. Other awards may be possible, but are not dealt with by the Honorary Awards Committee.

15 Awardees will be encouraged to use nomenclature as detailed in the Criteria and Naming Convention Table below in written documentation in order to promote the University.

16 Generally, should an approved nominee be unable to accept their award at the planned graduation ceremony the award may be rolled over for 3 years after which it will be withdrawn.

Criteria for Honorary Awards

Definitions to assist in applying Criteria are set out below

Outstanding / Standing out amongst others of its kind; prominent. Superior to others of its kind; distinguished.
Excellent / Of the highest or finest quality; exceptionally good of its kind.
Significant / Having or likely to have a major effect; important.

Criteria For Honorary Awards & Naming Convention

Honorary Award / Criteria / Naming convention /
Honorary Bachelor of Arts
or
Honorary Bachelor of Science / Awarded for excellent recognisable service and/or contribution over a period of years, (scholarly activity or significant service at national or international level), the actual award reflecting the relative level of achievement.
Preferably awarded to persons connected with the University or its wider community, for example, persons who have made a contribution to the University’s local region or to one of the curriculum areas, activities or subjects in the University’s portfolio.
Generally, the award of an Honorary Masters or Bachelors degree will reflect any formal qualifications the nominee already holds. / “name” Hon BA (Bucks)
“name” Hon BSc (Bucks)
Honorary Bachelor of Arts, Buckinghamshire New University
Honorary Bachelor of Science, Buckinghamshire New University
Honorary Masters of Arts
or
Honorary Masters of Science / Awarded for excellent recognisable service and/or contribution over a period of years, (scholarly activity or significant service at national or international level), the actual award reflecting the relative level of achievement.
Preferably awarded to persons connected with the University or its wider community, for example, persons who have made a contribution to the University’s local region or to one of the curriculum areas, activities or subjects in the University’s portfolio
Generally, the award of an Honorary Masters or Bachelors degree will reflect any formal qualifications the nominee already holds. / “name” Hon MA (Bucks)
“name” Hons MSc (Bucks)
Honorary Master of Arts, Buckinghamshire New University
Honorary Master of Science, Buckinghamshire New University
Honorary Doctorate / Awarded only for outstanding recognisable service and/or contribution (scholarly activity or significant service at national or international level) over a period of years.
Preferably awarded to persons connected with the University or its wider community, for example, persons who have made a contribution to the University’s local region or to one of the curriculum areas, activities or subjects in the University’s portfolio. / “name” Hon DUniv (Bucks)
Honorary Doctorate,
Buckinghamshire New University
Other recognition / The University may recognise significant contributions or service to the development of the institution and its activities as acknowledged within and, where applicable, outside the University community. The form of recognition will be decided on the most appropriate award to the nature of the service, for example, the naming of buildings, roads and other University facilities.

Process for Honorary Awards (& Keynote Speakers)

Graduation Ceremonies – General Information

17 Graduation Ceremonies take place annually during September.

18 Honorary Awards are normally only given in person during a Graduation Ceremony. The Vice Chancellor will announce and give the award.

19 An Honorary Awardee is as given the opportunity to reply to the award at the Graduation Ceremony briefly.

20 Citations are prepared by the nominator and finalised by the Graduation Team once approved by an SMT member.

21 The Graduation Team sends an events schedule by email to all Honorary Awardees and Speakers prior to the event.

22 Honorary Awardees receive the following:

a) certificate folder

b) Ede & Ravenscroft professional head and shoulders photograph (10”x12”) in a cardboard frame, plus a disc of any other photos taken

23 Honorary Awardees can bring guests at no cost (usually up to a maximum of 4).

24 Robes/gowns are provided for the ceremony only to the Honorary Awardees by the University (via Ede & Ravenscroft) or they can be purchased by the Honorary Awardee if they prefer.

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