This summer’s graduation ceremonies are scheduled to take place from Wednesday 17 July until Wednesday 24 July and will see more than 6,000 students cross the stage. Joining them will be nine famous names; leaders in their respective fields. 

The ceremonies will take place at the David Ross Sports Village on University Park, where graduands and their families will join nine honorary graduands who are being celebrated for their exceptional contribution in their chosen professions.  

The honorary graduands include: 

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus 

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the first WHO Director-General to have been elected by the World Health Assembly and the first person from the Africa Region to serve as WHO’s chief officer. After taking office in 2017, Tedros outlined key priorities to transform WHO, including universal health coverage, health emergencies, and health impacts of climate and environmental change. Globally recognised as a health scholar, researcher and diplomat, Tedros held a number of important national and global public health positions prior to his role at WHO, including Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Tedros is a Nottingham alumnus, having received a PhD in Public Health Medicine in 2000. 

Sir David Greenaway – Doctor of Laws 

Sir David Greenaway served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham for almost a decade before retiring from the role in 2017. Sir David was founding Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy, and has acted as adviser to the World Bank, European Commission and United Nations. His numerous contributions to professional service include being Chair of the Russell Group of Universities, while his contributions to public policy include roles as Chair of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body and leading major reviews for Government on the training of doctors in the UK, and on uninsured driving. In 2014, Sir David received a knighthood, in recognition of his services to Higher Education and contributions to public policy; and in 2017 was created a Dato’ in Malaysia. He is also an Honorary Citizen of Ningbo, and Honorary Freeman of Nottingham. 

Henry Normal – Doctor of Letters 

Henry Normal is a leading writer, poet, TV and film producer. Establishing Baby Cow Productions in 1999, Henry executive produced all, and script-edited many, of the 400 shows broadcast during his 17-year tenure as Managing Director. Highlights of Baby Cow’s output included Gavin and Stacy, The Mighty Boosh, Red Dwarf and Alan Partridge. He has also produced the four-time Oscar nominated film Philomena, the recent documentary of Nottingham Forest’s European Cup victory, I Believe in Miracles, and The Alan Partridge Movie among others. Founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Literature Festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival, Henry performs poetry at festivals around the UK and has several poetry books published together with an acclaimed book about his autistic son, Johnny, entitled A Normal Family. 

Dr Magdalena Skipper – Doctor of Science 

Dr Magdalena Skipper is the Editor-in-Chief of the world’s leading scientific journals, Nature. Completing her first degree at Nottingham in genetics in 1994, Magdalena went on to undertake a PhD at the University of Cambridge. Following postdoctoral research at Imperial Cancer Research Laboratories in London (CRUK today) she moved into scientific publishing. Joining Nature Publishing Group as Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics, she subsequently held a number of editorial roles, including Senior Editor of Nature and Editor-in-Chief of Nature Communications. In 2018, Magdalena became the first woman to be appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of Nature in its 150-year history. As a leading and inspirational figure in scientific publishing, Magdalena led an initiative in 2018 by Nature and the Estée Lauder Company to launch two global awards that celebrate the exceptional achievements of female scientists and those working to promote greater inclusiveness in science. 

The full list of honorary graduands is as follows: 

• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization 
• Sir David Greenaway, former Vice-Chancellor for the University of Nottingham 
• Henry Normal, writer, poet, and TV and film director 
• Dr Magdalena Skipper, Editor in Chief of the world’s leading scientific journal, Nature 
• Tim Gocher, founder and CEO of Dolma Foundation 
• Richard Jenkins OBE, retired from HM Diplomatic Service 
• Robert Bradley, former Senior Colliery Surveyor and coalmining historian 
• Victor Cocker CBE, former Chief Executive of Severn Trent plc 
• Baronness Lola Young OBE, Cross-Bench Peer in the House of Lords

The ceremonies will be broadcast live on the University website.