Honorary graduates 2011

Distinguished stage and screen actor Sir Donald Sinden, author and poet Vikram Seth and BBC political correspondent Mark Mardell are among those set to receive honorary degrees from the University at ceremonies in July.

Others due to receive honorary degrees at ceremonies at Canterbury and Rochester cathedrals include Oscar-winning musician and composer Anne Dudley and well-known science writer and broadcaster Dr Simon Singh. Read the full story...

	Dame Jenny Abramsky DBE Dame Jenny Abramsky DBE spent her working life at the BBC, where she was the editor of the Today programme on Radio 4 and launched BBC Radio Five Live, BBC News Online and BBC News 24.
	Baroness Blackstone Baroness Tessa Blackstone's academic career began at London School of Economics where she taught for ten years. She became Master of Birkbeck College in 1987 and was awarded a life peerage that year.
	Ursula Brennan Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence View Ursula Brennan receiving her Honorary Degree here
	Amanda Cottrell OBE Amanda Cottrell OBE wasa Kent magistrate for 23 years and from 2006-07 was High Sheriff of Kent. Now Chairman of Visit Kent, Amanda Cottrell is Kemt Ambassador as well as a Trustee of Canterbury Cathedral, the Avante Partnership and the Godinton House Preservation Trust.
	Professor Martin Daunton FBA Master, Trinity Hall, Cambridge View Professor Martin Daunton receiving his Honorary Degree here
	Anne Dudley Anne Dudley has composed and produced soundtracks for dozens of award-winning films and TV shows, and was a founding member of the Art of Noise. She has contributed string arrangements to many classic albums including ABC's The Lexicon of Love and Robbie Williams' Reality Killed the Video Star. She won an Oscar for The Full Monty in 1998. View Anne Dudley receiving her Honorary Degree here
	The Right Hon the Baroness Hale of Richmond First woman Law Lord and a Justice of the Supreme Court View Baroness Hale of Richmond receiving her Honorary Degree here
	Dr Alan Hearne Chief Executive of international consultancy the RPS Group View Dr Alan Hearne receiving his Honorary Degree here
	Mark Mardell BBC north America editor Mark Mardell is an alumnus of the University of Kent. He has covered British politics from the fall of Thatcher to Blair's last election victory as a political correspondent, Newsnight Political editor, BBC Chief Political Correspondent and diarist for This Week. View Mark Mardell receiving his Honorary Degree here
	Joanna Motion Vice President for International Operations at the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) View Joanna Motion receiving her Honorary Degree here
	Vikram Seth Born in Calcutta, award-winning writer Vikram Seth has had a range of fiction and non-fiction work published, including novels A Suitable Boy (1993) and A Suitable Girl (2013) and non-fiction family memoir Two Lives (2005). Among many prizes and awards have been the WH Smith Literary Award in 1994 for A Suitable Boy. View Vikram Seth receiving his Honorary Degree here
	Sir Donald Sinden Sir Donald has enjoyed a long and successful career on stage and screen, appearing in many notable Royal Shakespeare Company productions as well as being well-known for television roles including the English butler Robert in Two's Company and Sir Joseph Channing in Judge John Deed. He was knighted in 1997. View Sir Donald Sinden receiving his Honorary Degree here
	Dr Simon Singh Dr Simon Singh is an author, journalist and TV producer, specialising in science and mathematics. His latest book is Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial which he co-authored with Edzard Ernst, the world’s first professor of complementary medicine. View Dr Simon Singh receiving his Honorary Degree here
	Stevie Spring Chief Executive Officer of international special-interest media group Future plc View Stevie Spring receiving her Honorary Degree here
	Professor Dr Paul van Cauwenberge Rector of Ghent University View Professor Dr. Paul Van Cauwenberge receiving his Honorary Degree here
	The Very Reverend Robert Willis DL The Very Revereend Dr Robert Willis DL was ordained in 1972 to serve as curate inSt Chad's Church, Shrewsbury, and in 1975 went to be Vicar Choral of Salisbury Cathedral and Chaplain of the Cathedral School.
	View our 2012 Honorary Graduands