We actively invite recipients of Honorary Awards to maintain their links with the University and transfer their knowledge and experience through master classes and public lectures.

Honorary awards are a recognition of national and international success

Honorary awards reward individuals who have attained national and international success and recognition in their chosen field. They maximise the University’s public presence, allow Schools to develop closer relationships with distinguished persons and engage students in the process.

The honorary awards available are Doctor of the University (Hon DUniv) Emeritus/Emerita Chancellor Emeritus/Emerita Vice-Chancellor and Emeritus/Emerita Dean conferred on annual basis during the University’s award ceremony weeks in July and November.

For details on how to submit a nomination please visit our graduation awards pages.

2024 awards

Name Award Year
Ed Anderson CBE Hon DUniv 2024
Jenny Beavan Hon DUniv 2024
John Robins Hon DUniv 2024


2023 awards

Name Award Year
Zenebu Hailu Dubale Hon DUniv 2023
Aonghus Gordon OBE Hon DUniv 2023
Graham McKenzie Hon DUniv 2023
Adil Ray OBE Hon DUniv 2023
Nitin Sawhney CBE Hon DUniv 2023


2022 awards

Name Award Year
Angela Nakafeero Hon DUniv 2022
Andrew Scheps Hon DUniv 2022
Ian Warhurst Hon DUniv 2022
John Warhurst Hon DUniv 2022
Hayaatun Sillem CBE Hon DUniv 2022
Rosie Jones Hon DUniv 2022
Bo Yang Hon DUniv 2022
Paul Grimwood CBE Hon DUniv 2022
Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE Hon DUniv 2022
Nigel Fine Hon DUniv 2022
Professor Paul Needham Hon DUniv 2022
Richard Ayres Hon DUniv 2022

 

2019 awards

Name Award Year
Simon Blagden CBE Hon DUniv 2019
Dapinder Singh QC Hon DUniv 2019
Ambassador Liu Xiaoming Hon DUniv 2019
Jason Mallinson Hon DUniv 2019
John Dixon Hon DUniv 2019
Ann Francke Hon DUniv 2019
Chris Brown OBE DL Hon DUniv 2019
Gavin Sutherland Hon DUniv 2019
Phillip McCann Hon DUniv 2019
Roger Burnley Hon DUniv 2019

2018 awards

Name Award Year
Ashok Vaswani Hon DUniv 2018
Christopher Reid Hon DUniv 2018
Colin Dennis Hon DUniv 2018
Eric L F Nicholls Hon DUniv 2018
Jacqueline Dyer MBE Hon DUniv 2018
John Bernard Hon DUniv 2018
Distinguished Professor Lady Rachel Cooper OBE Hon DUniv 2018
Sir Paul Nurse Hon DUniv 2018
Professor Ojan Assadian Emeritus Professor 2018
Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE Hon DUniv 2018
Rebecca Saunders Hon DUniv 2018
Dr Peter Alan Shaw Hon DUniv 2018
Winthrop Professor Fiona Wood Hon DUniv 2018
Mrs Fatma Zakaria Hon DUniv 2018

2017 awards

Name Award Year
Professor Mario Neto Borges PhD Hon DUniv 2017
Sir John Parker GBE FREng Hon DUniv 2017
Roger Marsh OBE BSc(Hons) FCA Hon DUniv 2017
Professor Dame Carol Robinson Hon DUniv 2017
Baroness Williams of Trafford Hon DUniv 2017
Professor David Leaper Emeritus Professor 2017
Professor The Lord (David) Blunkett PC Hon DUniv 2017
Beth Butterwick Hon DUniv 2017
Professor Lesley Yellowlees Hon DUniv 2017
Rear Admiral Philip Greenish CBE Hon DUniv 2017
Sir David McMurtry Hon DUniv 2017
Professor Roger Barlow Emeritus Professor 2017

2016 awards

Name Award Year
Naomi Climer Hon DUniv 2016
Kaffe Fassett Hon DUniv 2016
Michael Mansfield QC Hon DUniv 2016
Dr Julie Maxton OBE Hon DUniv 2016
Maggie Philbin Hon DUniv 2016
Sally Wainwright Hon DUniv 2016
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green Kt Hon DUniv 2016
Professor John Colligon Emeritus Professor 2016
Professor Dame Ann Dowling Hon DUniv 2016
Kigge Mai Hvid Hon DUniv 2016
Iby Knill BEM Hon DUniv 2016
Jenny Molloy Hon DUniv 2016
Jane Platt CBE Hon DUniv 2016
Sir Gary Verity Hon DUniv 2016

2015 awards

Name Award Year
Professor Eric Blyth Emeritus Professor 2015
Professor Robert Cywinski Emeritus Professor 2015
Nigel Foster Hon DUniv 2015
Richie Hawtin Hon DUniv 2015
Nina Hossain Hon DUniv 2015
Professor Sir Peter Knight Hon DUniv 2015
Professor Richard Morris
Emeritus Professor 2015
Professor Li Peigen Hon DUniv 2015
Baroness Pinnock of Cleckheaton Hon DUniv 2015
Sir John O'Reilly Hon DUniv 2015
Rob Vincent CBE Hon DUniv 2015
Sir Malcolm Walker CBE Hon DUniv 2015

2014 awards

Name Award Year
Bernard Ainsworth OBE Hon DUniv 2014
Irvine Arditti Hon DUniv 2014
Professor Colin Bamford Emeritus Professor 2014
Professor David Crystal OBE Hon DUniv 2014
Philip Darnell Hon DUniv 2014
Nicholas Fluck Hon DUniv 2014
Professor Ian Gow OBE Hon DUniv 2014
Professor Guy Lloyd-Jones FRS  Hon DUniv 2014
Rt Reverend Tony Robinson Hon DUniv 2014
Sir John Sorrell Hon DUniv 2014
Sir Rodney Walker Hon DUniv 2014

2013 awards

Name Award Year
Cyril Brandford Hon DUniv 2013
Professor Colin Carlile Hon DUniv 2013
Duncan Druce (deceased) Hon DUniv 2013
Ashley Jackson BEM Hon DUniv 2013
Sir Ian Kershaw Hon DUNiv 2013
Hon. Fatou Lamin Faye Hon DUniv 2013
Kavita Oberoi OBE Hon DUniv 2013
Robert Powell Hon DUniv 2013
Ty Unwin Hon DUniv 2013
Michael Woodhead Hon DUniv 2013
Baroness Bryony Worthington Hon DUniv 2013

2012 awards

Name Award Year
Susan Bernhauser Emerita Dean 2012
Sir Norman Bettison Hon DUniv 2012
Professor Brian Cox Hon DUniv 2012
Alan Garner Hon DUniv 2012
Dean Hoyle Hon DUniv 2012
Gwyneth Hughes  Hon DUNiv 2012
Dr Simon Lindley Hon DUniv 2012
Jonathan Mason Hon DUniv 2012
Professor Helen Masson   Emerita Professor 2012
Rt Revd Stephen Platten Hon DUniv 2012
Professor Michael Russ Emeritus Dean 2012
Professor John Thompson   Emeritus Professor 2012

2011 awards

Name Award Year
Professor Sir John Enderby Hon DUniv 2011
Rod Franks (deceased) Hon DUniv 2011
Professor Mark Halstead Emeritus Professor 2011
Betty Jackson Hon DUniv 2011
David Peace Hon DUNiv 2011
Lawrence Tomlinson Hon DUniv 2011

2010 awards

Name Award Year
Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed Hon DUniv 2010
Professor Peter Bradshaw Emeritus Professor 2010
Rita Britton Hon DUniv 2010
Professor Valerie Bryson Emeritus Professor 2010
Peter Clegg Hon DUniv  2010
Eorl Crabtree Hon UHFell  2010
Fred Frith Hon DUniv 2010
Steve Hallam Hon DUniv 2010
Kathryn Hinchliff Hon DUniv 2010
Terry Hodgkinson Hon DUniv 2010
Professor John Lancaster Emeritus Professor  2010
Richard Reed CBE Hon DUniv 2010
Professor David Titterington Hon DUniv 2010
Chris Wilson Hon UHFell 2010

2009 awards

Name Award Year
Andrew Booth Hon UHFell 2009
Professor Tony Butterworth Hon DSc 2009
Professor Sue Frost Emeritus Professor 2009
Baroness Hale of Richmond Hon DCL 2009
Elgar Howarth Hon DLitt 2009
Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys Hon DSc 2009
Sarah Lancashire OBE Hon DLitt 2009
Professor Mike Page (deceased) Emeritus Professor and Hon DUniv 2009
Peter Murray OBE Hon DSc 2009
Theo Paphitis Hon DBA 2009
Michael Phipps  Hon UHFell 2009
Professor Mona Siddiqui   Hon DCL 2009
Lemn Sissay Hon DLitt 2009
Professor Rob Smith Emeritus Professor 2009
Professor Barrie Web Emeritus Professor 2009
James Whitham Hon DSc 2009
Professor Christian Wolff Hon DLitt 2009
Dr Philip Woodfine Emeritus Reader  2009
General Nadeem Ahmed HonD Univ 2009

2008 awards

Name Award Year
Harold 'Dickie' Bird Hon DCL 2008
Professor Ted Charsley  Emeritus Professor 2008
Robert Cockcroft Hon DLitt 2008
Sir George Cox Hon DSc 2008
Professor Sir Richard Dawkins Hon DSc 2008
Lord Harries of Pentregarth Hon DCL 2008
Jonathan Harvey (deceased) Hon DLitt 2008
Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws  Hon DCL 2008
Andrew Kilburn Hon DCL 2008
Colin McDowell Hon DSc 2008
Professor Tim Moscovitch Emeritus Professor 2008
Sir Michael Parkinson Hon DLitt 2008
Lord Patel of Bradford Hon DCL 2008
Denis Smalley Hon DLitt 2008
Jaswant Toor Hon DBA 2008
Professor David Taylor Emeritus Professor 2008
David Wheeler Hon DLitt 2008
Professor Christian Wolff Hon DLitt 2008

2007 awards

Name Award Year
Christopher Bailey Hon DSc 2007
Ken Davy Hon DBA 2007
Professor Robert Edwards Hon DSc 2007
Professor Kel Fidler FREng Hon DSc 2007
Ian McMillan Hon DLitt (Barnsley) 2007
Dr Robert Perks Hon DLitt 2007
Parnell Reilly Hon DCL 2007
Dame Dr Ingrid Roscoe DVCO (deceased) Hon DCL 2007
Kate Rusby Hon DLitt (Barnsley) 2007
Richard Smith Hon DCL 2007
Emeritus Vice-Chancellor John Tarrant Hon DSc 2007
Hilary Wainwright Hon DLitt 2007
Martin Wainwright Hon DLitt 2007
Paul Walsh Hon DBA (Oldham) 2007

2006 awards

Name Award Year
R K Krishna Kumar Hon DBA 2006
Colin Cramphorn (deceased) Hon DCL (in absentia) 2006
Carl Fogarty Hon DCL 2006
Malvern Goodall Hon Fellowship 2006
Celia Kilner Hon DLitt 2006
Malcolm Lee (deceased) Hon DLitt (Posthumous) 2006
Graham Leslie Hon DBA 2006
Graham Penning OBE Hon DSC 2006
Anita Lonsbrough MBE (now Mrs Porter) Hon DCL 2006
Barrie Rutter Hon DLitt 2006
Professor Brian Tattersfield Hon DSc 2006
Hazel Wigmore Hon DCL 2006
Shobna Gulati Hon DLitt (Oldham) 2006
Brian Clarke Hon DLitt (Oldham) 2006
Darren Gough Hon DCL (Barnsley) 2006

2005 awards

Name Award Year
David Armitage OBE Hon DBA 2005
Professor Fen Arthur Hon DSc and Emeritus Professor 2005
Trevor Cherry Hon DCL 2005
Charlotte di Vita Hon DBA 2005
Dr Margaret Faull Hon DCL 2005
Dame Suzi Leather Hon DCL 2005
Ping Cheung Liu Hon DCL 2005
Edward Stanners Hon DSc 2005
Gordon Stewart Hon DLItt 2005
Professor David Whitehouse Hon DSc 2005
Paul Whittaker OBE Hon DLitt 2005

2004 awards

Name Award Year
Sonia Benster Hon MA 2004
Gregory Doran Hon DLitt 2004
Cecil Dormand Hon DLitt 2004
Dame Pauline Green Hon DCL 2004
Brian Hill MBE Hon DCL 2004
Derek Ibbotson (deceased) Hon DCL 2004
Professor Isobel Pollock-Hulf OBE Hon DSc 2004
David Scacchetti Hon DBA 2004
Luisa Scacchetti Hon DBA 2004
Professor Richard Steinitz OBE Hon DLitt 2004
Patrick Stewart OBE Hon DLItt 2004
Clare Taylor MBE Hon DCL 2004

2003 awards

Name Award Year
Roger Bale Hon DBA 2003
Dr George W Buckley Hon DSc 2003
James Dillon Hon DLitt 2003
Jeremy Dyson (League of Gentlemen) Hon DLitt 2003
Mark Gatiss (League of Gentlemen) Hon DLitt 2003
Reece Shearsmith (League of Gentlemen) Hon DLitt 2003
Steve Pemberton (League of Gentlemen) Hon DLitt 2003
Joanne Harris MBE Hon DLitt 2003
Professor Steven V Ley CBE FRS Hon DSc 2003
The Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch (the Bishop of Manchester) Hon DCL 2003
John Murgatroyd Hon DCL 2003
Jane Tomlinson (deceased) Hon DCL 2003
Professor Leslie Wagner CBE Hon DCL 2003

Awards between 2000 and 2002

Name Award Year

Professor R Livingstone

Hon DSc 2000
Linda Hirst Hon DLitt 2000
James Sommerville Hon D Litt 2000
Simon Needham Hon D Litt 2000
Sir John Harman Hon DCL 2000
Sir Tom McKillop Hon DSc 2000
Sir Len Peach Hon DCL 2000
Mandy Kennedy Hon MSc 2001
Pam Liversidge OBE DL Hon DSc 2001
Stephen Battye (deceased) Hon DSc 2001
Diane Thompson CBE Hon DCL 2001
Professor Stuart Hall Hon DLitt 2001
Professor Geoffrey Sims Hon DSc 2001
John Pryce-Jones Hon DLitt 2001
Professor Paul Hirst (deceased) Hon DLitt 2002
Jonathan Sands Hon DSc 2002
Dr Kevin Conway CBE Hon DLitt 2002
Aileen Armitage Hon DLitt 2002
Deric Longden (deceased) Hon DLitt 2002
Professor Mel Chevannes CBE FRCN MA Hon DSc 2002
David Moorhouse (deceased) Hon DSc 2002
Jenni Murray Hon DCL 2002
Lord (Christopher) Haskins Hon DCL 2002
Peter Wood OBE (deceased) Hon DCL (Posthumous) 2002

Awards between 1996 and 1999

Name Award Year
Simon Armitage Hon DLitt 1996
Arthur Quarmby Hon DSc 1996
Richard B Sykes Hon DSc 1996
Edith Bentley MBE Hon MA 1996
Malcolm E Bond (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1997
Warwick A Price Honorary Fellowship 1997
Dame Gillian Weir DBE HonDMus Hon DLitt 1997
David Blackburn Hon DLitt 1997
Roy Clarke Hon DLitt 1997
Dr Donald E Nicholson (deceased) Hon DSc 1997
The Revd Dr David A Kirby Hon DLitt 1997
James Dyson Hon DSc 1997
Keith Hellawell QPM Hon DCL 1997
Professor Brian Mellitt Hon DSc 1997
Yvonne Moores Hon DSc 1997
Anne E Mace OBE DL BA Hon DCL 1998
Dr Nicholas Tate Hon DCL 1998
Kamlesh Bahl CBE Hon DCL 1998
Professor Sir Liam Donaldson Hon DSc 1998
J M Hardcastle C TEXT FTI ARPS Hon MA 1998
Jeffrey Michael Blackburn Hon DLitt 1998
Sir John E Walker FRS MA DPhil Hon DSc 1998
Brian Ward FCA (deceased) Honorary Fellowship and Hon DCL 1998
Dr David Quarmby CBE Hon DSc 1999
Mary Williams OBE Hon MSc 1999
General Sir David J Ramsbotham GCB Hon DCL 1999
Professor Andrew Wallard Hon DSc 1999
David C Jones FCCA FCIS Hon DLitt 1999
Thomas Megahy BA MEP Honorary Fellowship
Hon DCL 
1989
1999

Awards between 1990 and 1995

Name Award Year
Sir Christopher George Francis Harding (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1990
Reginald Charles Cross OBE (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1990
Director of Higher Education Honorary Fellowship 1990
The Reverend Kenneth Robert Cook BA (deceased) Associate 1990
Professor Derek William Saunders CBE CPhys CEng Hon DTech 1990
Rt Hon Lord Templeman (Sydney William) MBE PC Hon LLD 1990
The Royal Society of Chemistry Honorary Fellowship 1991
J Garry Hawkes CBE FHCIMA Honorary Fellowship 1991
Watson Johnson CEng FIMarE MIIM MBIM Associate 1991
Dr Jane Alison Glover MA PhD Hon DMus 1991
The Lord Hanson FRSA CBIM (deceased) Hon DBA 1991
Rt Rev and Rt Hon Lord Hope of Thornes Hon LLD 1991
Professor Frank Barr BSc (Econ) MPhil (deceased) Hon DSc 1993
Dr Jane Valerie Carter Hon DLit 1993
Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP BA LLB Hon LLD (Nott) 1993
Dr Peter Fielden (deceased) Hon DSc 1993
Sir William Taylor CBE Hon EdD 1995

Awards from the 1980's

Name Award Year
Sir William Mallalieu Freeman of Kirklees 1980
His Excellency Bakary Bunja Darbo BA MP Honorary Fellowship 1988
Dr Kenneth W Hillier PhD DIC CPhys FInstP Honorary Fellowship 1988
Dr Edwin Kerr CBE DSC DUniv FIMA FCS FCP Honorary Fellowship 1988
Richard Scurah Wainwright BA FCA (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1988
Reginald Hartley MBE JP (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1988
Clifford Stephenson (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1988 
Nancy Hepworth Associate 1988
Eric Seymour IPFA ACIS DMA Associate 1988
Philip Wood FMOB Associate 1988
Sir Ernest Hall OBE DL DUniv ARMCM  Honorary Fellowship
Hon DCL
1989
2000
M le Professeur Jean-Francios Robert (Besancon) Honorary Fellowship 1989
Edward Austen Johnson MBE JP DipArch FRIBA Honorary Fellowship 1989
Thomas Megahy BA Honorary Fellowship
Hon DCL
1989
1999
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees Honorary Fellowship 1989
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale Honorary Fellowship 1989
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Honorary Fellowship 1989
Peter G Davies MA (deceased) Associate 1989
Effie T Elliott (deceased) Associate 1989

Awards from the 1970's

Name Award Year
Harold Gray BA (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1971
Douglas Sisson FRSA FPH FSAScot FBIM (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1971
Dr William Errington Scott BSc MSc PhD FRIC FIM FAPTI (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1971
Sir Tobias Ruston Weaver KT CBE (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1972
Douglas Graham CBE (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1972
John Llewellyn Dawson MP JP (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1972
Mary Dennell (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1973
The Lord Bowden of Chesterfield (Bertram Vivian) MA PhD FIEE MScTech (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1974
Alexander MacLennan CBE Honorary Fellowship 1975
The Lord Rhodes of Saddleworth KG PC DFE DL (Hervey) (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1976
Professor Charles Smalley Whewell BSc PhD CChem FRSC CText FTI(Hon) CCol FSDC (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1977
The Lord Wilson of Rievaulx (Harold) KG OBE FRS (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1977
Dr John Lewis Womersley CBE HonMA HonLLD PhD RIBA DistTP FRTPI (deceased) Honorary Fellowship 1977