Nominations for the award of Honorary Degrees
Prior to the start of the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we received an exceptional number of honorary degree nominations for conferment in the academic year 2016-17 and beyond. Our awards ceremonies for summer 2017 already have honorary graduands identified. However, we would be pleased to receive new nominations for conferment in the 2017/18 academic year. It can take some months between a nomination being considered by the Honorary Degrees Committee, recommended to Senate, the recipient being contacted and dates for conferment being agreed. So it’s not too soon to bring forward names!
The Honorary Degrees Committee is pleased to receive nominations aligned with its vision, racial, religious and cultural diversity and which reflect its commitment to gender equality and to promoting opportunity at home and abroad. Through its network of ambassadors and honorary graduates, the University can raise its external profile and make known even more widely its reputation for excellence.
An honorary degree is the University’s most prestigious accolade and one that we reserve for individuals of conspicuous merit. The University seeks to honour individuals of distinction or achievement not already over-endowed with honorary degrees.
Criteria for the Award of Honorary Degrees
- Academics with an international reputation who have an existing or potential academic link with the University
- National or international figures who serve as a role model for young people
- International figures who have some connection with the University, for example a common area of research
- National or international figures who serve to make a statement about the University’s position on moral or ethical issues
- Recognition of achievements which have not previously been recognised
- Persons with a local connection who have achieved a national orinternational reputation
Please do give thought to those whom you have encountered in your own sphere of work and who have made a significant contribution to the development of research, education, the arts and sciences more generally, public service, business, student opportunity or supported our own institution.
You may find the list below a helpful starting point for considering names to bring forward:
- Anniversary year conference contributors
- Individuals of academic or scholarly distinction
- Collaborators and partners
- Corporate research partners
- Individuals who have given distinguished public service or serve as a role model
- Individuals who have promoted educational opportunity either locally or nationally
- Individuals demonstrating exceptionally innovative or socially responsible business practice
- Individuals who have given exceptional service within the Bath or Somerset area
This list is not exhaustive.
Nominations of individuals with celebrity status would require evidence of their personal, ongoing and longstanding commitment to relevant work or service. Serving Heads of Government will not be considered for honorary degrees. Nor will self-nominations be accepted for consideration. Former staff (or those approaching retirement) and alumni may be nominated for an award.
The Honorary Degrees Committee will meet in October 2018 and in March 2019 and will recommend to Senate persons considered worthy of an honorary degree. The Committee is interested to hear the case for the award, any current or potential links with the nominee and reasons why the individual concerned might want to be associated with the University of Bath.
- To check whether a person has already received an honorary degree, you can review the University’s Directory of Honorary Graduates (link:
- To find out more about recent honorary graduates, read their profiles (link:
Thank you for completing the nomination form and for your support in extending our network of honorary graduates. The form should not take you long to complete but if you have any queries or require advice in advance of preparing a nomination, please contact Clare Henderson ( or extension 3400) in the Office of the University Secretary.