UCA awards first round of honorary degrees
The University for the Creative Arts awarded honorary degrees to Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, ceramicist Edmund de Waal and industrial designer Pradyumna Vyas at Guildford Cathedral on 29 June 2010.
During UCA Epsom's graduation ceremony, British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman OBE received a Master of Arts for her contribution to the magazine industry.
Alexandra has been editor of Vogue since April 1992. Since her arrival, the magazine's readership has risen to over a million readers thanks to creative collector's issues and big-name cover stars.
Alexandra has won numerous awards, for herself and the magazine, but arguably her biggest honour was receiving an OBE in the 2005 New Years Honours List.
Alexandra Shulman said: "It is an honour to receive this recognition from the University for the Creative Arts.
"The creative industries are increasingly recognised for the essential and humanising contribution they make to our culture and society and the breadth of subjects at UCA can only encourage new and vital talent."
World-renowned ceramicist and author Edmund de Waal was honoured at UCA Farnham's graduation ceremony for his contribution to the creative arts.
Edmund de Waal's instantly recognisable work is widely exhibited and currently sits in 30 collections around the world.
Considered one of the finest potters of his generation, he was awarded the silver medal at the World Ceramics Exposition in Korea in 2003.
His most recent installation, Signs & Wonders, was commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum to commemorate the opening of the new Ceramics Galleries.
Professor Pradyumna Vyas received an honorary degree for his services to Design and Higher Education during the same ceremony.
Prof Vyas is the director of the National Institute of Design of India (NID). His 25 years of professional and teaching experience in different spheres of design made him the prime candidate for the vacant role in April 2009.
He is Member Secretary to the India Design Council which is part of the Indian Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
Prof Vyas said: "I am extremely honoured to receive this award and to be recognised by the University for the Creative Arts at a time when India is set to celebrate 50 years of formal design education at NID.
"This is a great encouragement to take forward collaborative research, bringing global perspective in design for inclusive and sustainable growth."
The University for the Creative Arts has 7,000 students, studying at campuses in Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester.
Broadcaster and humanitarian, Bob Geldof KBE, will receive his award at UCA Canterbury's graduation ceremony on Thursday 22 July 2010 at the city's Shirley Hall.
Filmmaker Parminder Vir OBE will be presented with her degree on Friday 9 July at All Saints Church in Maidstone.
For more information contact:
David Reilly, Press Officer, UCA
T: 01252 892939
E: dreilly@ucreative.ac.uk
