Each year, the University makes a number of honorary awards that recognise outstanding service to the University, to the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, or to public or professional life nationally and internationally.

Here we take a look at our Honorary Graduates and Alumni of the Year for our January 2015 ceremonies.

Thursday 15 January – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: John Mathers
CEO, The Design Council.

John has been working for over 30 years in the brand and design industry, leading a number of marketing, brand and design consultancies in the UK and internationally, including Head of Brand at Safeway. Over the last 10 years, John has been actively committed to the development of the design industry. He joined the Design Council from an International CEO role at the Holmes & Marchant group and his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Design Council is to lead it into the next chapter of a rich history that dates back to 1944.

"UK must work hard to remain global leader in creative industries" - more on John's views

---

Thursday 15 January – afternoon ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Julian Turner
CEO, Westfield Sportscars.

Julian started his career working for British Midland Engineering in Derbyshire, where he worked on various supply chain management initiatives with two of the world’s largest airframe manufacturers. He continued with aviation while at university working for the Boeing Company during his final year at university and post-degree in the UK and Europe. He moved to the engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald UK and then in 2006, Julian became Managing Director of Westfield Sportscars Ltd. Julian became a Chartered Engineer in 2012 and is currently Chief Executive Officer of Westfield Sportscars Ltd.

More about Julian

---

Monday 26 January – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Salma Yaqoob
Psychotherapist and community campaigner.

Salma is a psychotherapist, who gained her Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy and Counselling from us. Salma currently works as a Community Engagement Senior Manager at the Birmingham and Solihull NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust.

Salma has also been a community activist for several years and has been elected twice as a Birmingham City Councillor with large majorities.

She has campaigned on local issues such as reducing the gaps in educational achievement of disadvantaged young people. Nationally she advocates an alternative economic policy to austerity, and internationally Salma has consistently called for peace, playing an active part in the anti-war movement.

"A generation has been written off due to Muslim-Western tensions" - more on Salma's views

---

Monday 26 January – afternoon ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Paul McDowell
HM Chief Inspector of Probation.

Paul became HM Chief Inspector of Probation in February 2014. Prior to that, and since 2009, Paul had been Chief Executive Officer at Nacro, the largest crime reduction charity in the UK. From 2006 to 2009, Paul was Governor at HM Prison Brixton. He was previously Prison Governor at HM Prison Coldingley from 2003 to 2006. Paul has a Master’s in Criminology and Prison Studies from the University of Cambridge and gained a Diploma in Criminal Justice from Birmingham City University when it was known as UCE Birmingham. He is a Fellow of the RSA, Trustee of the Eisenhower Foundation in Washington DC, and a Trustee of the Prison Radio Association.

"UK needs to get over its punishment addiction" - more on Paul's views

---

Tuesday 27 January – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: 
Gisela Stuart MP.

Gisela Stuart became the first Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston in 1997. In Tony Blair’s government she served as a Health Minister, with special responsibility for emergency medicine and NHS Direct. She regards as her most significant achievement working with colleagues to get the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital built, as well as the establishment of the Centre for Defence Medicine. For the last 10 years she has served on the Foreign Affairs and the Defence Select committees. She also edits the political weekly magazine The House.

More about Gisela

---

Symphony Hall was alive at the start of September 2014 as thousands of students celebrated receiving their degrees.

Each year, the University makes a number of honorary awards that recognise outstanding service to the University, to the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, or to public or professional life nationally and internationally. Here we take a look at our 2014 Honorary Graduates.

Monday 1 September – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Gok Wan
Fashion consultant, author and television presenter.

TV presenter and style guru Gok Wan has worked in the fashion industry for the best part of two decades. Initially training in performing arts, he entered the fashion industry through early work as a hair and make-up artist on titles such as The Sunday Times. Finding himself dissatisfied with beauty alone, Gok pursued his love of clothes as a fashion stylist and in 2006, he became a household name in Channel 4’s How to Look Good Naked.

---

Monday 1 September – afternoon ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Adrian Fawcett
Chairman, Silentnight Group and Chairman of the Advisory Board at EuroSite Power Limited

Adrian Fawcett is Chairman of Silentnight Group. He has previously acted as CEO & Vice-President of a number of FTSE 100 and international companies including GHG, Punch Taverns plc, Interbrew plc and Bass Brewers plc. Adrian was voted 2014 finalist in the ‘Sunday Times’ Non-Executive Director of the year, having previously been awarded the ‘Institute of Directors’, Large Company Young Director of the Year and ‘Business Insider’, Entrepreneurial Director of the year.

---

Tuesday 2 September – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: John Hudson OBE
Chairman, Birmingham Airport

John Hudson OBE, a graduate of Birmingham City University (the Birmingham Polytechnic), has been Chairman of Birmingham Airport since 1997. His services to industry in the region led to an OBE in 2003. He is currently a Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands Lieutenancy. John has served as President of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the West Midlands Industrial Development Board and was a founding member of the CBI National Manufacturing Council.

---

Tuesday 2 September – afternoon ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Professor Robert Winston
Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London

IVF pioneer and broadcaster Robert Winston is Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London. He has presented award-winning TV and radio series including The Secret Life of Twins, Child of Our Time and The Human Body. He has written over 20 books and published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. Professor Winston sits on the Council of the University of Surrey, is Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University and Chairman of the Royal College of Music.

---

Wednesday 3 September – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: 
Chairman of Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dame Christine Braddock, Chairman of Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has over 30 years’ experience in senior leadership of Further Education colleges. Her time as Principal and Chief Executive of Birmingham Metropolitan College saw her bring together three colleges to create Birmingham MET - now one of the largest and successful colleges in the country. She was made a Dame in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list in recognition of her commitment to improving and upholding teaching excellence.

---

Thursday 4 September – morning ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Phil Smith
Chief Executive UK & Ireland, Cisco Systems Ltd

Phil Smith is the UK & Ireland Chief Executive of Cisco Systems, the world's largest maker of internet networking equipment. Recently hailed by Computer Weekly as one of the most influential people in UK IT, Phil is Chair of both e-Skills UK and the UK Technology Strategy Board. Following on from Cisco's sponsorship of London 2012, Phil led Cisco’s investment in helping to create a lasting legacy from the Olympics by providing resources to support entrepreneurs and start-ups.

---

Thursday 4 September – afternoon ceremony

Honorary doctorate: Darren Henley OBE
Managing Director, Classic FM

Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM, was appointed an OBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for his services to music. Author of two independent government reviews into music and cultural education, Darren has also written 26 books about classical music and his radio work has been honoured by the Radio Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, the Classic Brit Awards and the Royal Philharmonic Society.

---