Hip hip hooray for graduation day

The inventors of the Exeter hip, Dr Clive Lee and Professor Robin Ling will be made Honorary Doctors of Sciences.  Developed in 1969, the Exeter hip revolutionised hip replacement operations with a ‘metal on plastic’ cemented hip and is now the most widely and commonly used cemented hip replacement in the world. 

Other notable figures from the field of medicine set to receive Honorary Degrees are Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council; Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, Chief Executive of the South West Strategic Health Authority Board; Mr Gerald Sturtridge, Vice Chairman of the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust; and Professor Sir Denis Pereira Gray, who worked for 38 years as a GP in Exeter and established the first postgraduate university department of general practice in Europe at Exeter in 1973. 

Professor Chris Mullard CBE is honoured for his community and international social policy work.  Former advisor to Tony Blair, Sir Michael Barber works on major transformations of public services, especially education, and will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Law. Human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith is honoured for his 25 years of work on behalf of defendants facing the death penalty in the USA.  Dr Richard Ward, CEO of Lloyds insurance will also be honoured. 

Bishop of Truro Bill Ind and Jainist monk and ecologist Satish Kumar will receive honorary degrees with students from the University’s Cornwall Campus near Penryn.

The University of Exeter’s Chancellor, Floella Benjamin OBE will preside over ceremonies.  She says: “This is a time for celebration for our students and their families, a culmination of their hard work and the encouragement to send them out in this time of recession with a valuable Exeter degree and the full backing of our staff.    Our honorary graduates are leaders in their fields, and people who the University is proud to have an association with”. 

Each ceremony will be streamed live on www.exeter.ac.uk

Graduation ceremonies take place from 20-24 July in the Great Hall, University of Exeter, at 10am and 2.30pm.   The graduation ceremonies for students from the University’s Cornwall Campus are held in the inspirational surroundings of Truro Cathedral on Monday 27 July. 

Graduation timetable

Tues 21 July – Great Hall, Exeter
10am: Prof Chris Mullard MBE
2.30pm: Les and Claire Halpin inducted into College of Benefactors

Weds 22 July – Great Hall, Exeter
2.30pm: Sir Ian Carruthers

Thu 23 July – Great Hall, Exeter
10am: Gerald Sturtridge and Clive Stafford-Smith
2.30pm: Sir Michael Barber and Dr Richard Ward.  Barry Bateman is inducted into College of Benefactors

Fri 24 July – Great Hall, Exeter
10am: Dr Clive Lee and Professor Robin Ling
2.30pm: Sir Leszek Borysiewicz and Professor Sir Denis Pereira Gray

Mon 27 July – Truro Cathedral
10.30am: Bishop Bill Ind
3pm: Mr Satish Kumar