Honorary Graduates
See below for the list of Queen Margaret University Honorary Degrees (1987-2022).
2024
| Name | Award |
| Professor Alex McMahon, Former Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Sally Gray, Television presenter and media expert | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Dr James Robson MBE, Former Chief Medical Officer for Scottish Rugby | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Juliet Robertson, Outdoor education specialist | Honorary Degree of Doctor of Education |
2023
| Name | Award |
| Wafa Shaheen, Humanitarian & Head of Services at the Scottish Refugee Council | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Dame Louise Martin, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| George Mackintosh, Serial entrepreneur | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
2022
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Jane McCarry, actor | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Mark Cox, actor | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Mostafa Salameh, explorer and adventurer | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Paul Ewing, actor, voice artist, presenter, producer, singer, songwriter, and music composer | Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
2020
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Petra Wend Phd, FRSA, FRSE, Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University | Degree of Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa |
| Fergus Linehan, Director of the Edinburgh International Festival | Degree of Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa |
| Kevin Browne-MacLeod, Director at Who Cares? Scotland | Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
2019
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Marie O'Keefe, Former Chief Executive of Leuchie House | Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
2018
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Alice Thompson, Co-Founder of The Social Bite | Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Ann Southwood, Former Principal of Newbattle Abbey College | Degree of Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa |
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Alice Thompson, Co-Founder of The Social Bite | Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa |
| Ann Southwood, Former Principal of Newbattle Abbey College | Degree of Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa |
2017
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Iain Smith OBE, International Film Producer | Degree of Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa |
2016
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie’s | Doctor of the University |
| Keir Bloomer, Education leader | Doctor of the University |
2015
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Laura Young, Founder of The Teapot Trust charity | Doctor of the University |
2014
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Eugenio Barba, influential theatre director | Doctor of Letters |
| Kate Adie, internationally renowned journalist | Doctor of Letters |
2013
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Nigel Osborne, talented composer and former Reid Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh | Doctor of Letters |
| Shaheen Unis, entrepreneur and business woman behind Mrs Unis Spicy Foods Ltd | Doctor of Business Administration |
2012
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Colwyn Trevarthen, developmental psychologist | Doctor of Science |
| Norman Springford, leading hotelier and hospitality industry champion | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Professor Ian Percy CBE, former chair of QMU's board of governors | Doctor of the University |
| Susan Boyle, musical entertainer | Doctor of the University |
2011
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Alison Tierney CBE, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Advanced Nursing and internationally recognised nursing researcher and educationalist | Doctor of Science |
| Albert Roux, Internationally renowned chef | Doctor of the University |
| Sir Garth Morrison, Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian | Doctor of Letters |
2010
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| David Duke, Founder of the social enterprise, Street Soccer Scotland | Doctor of the University |
| Jacqui Lunday, Chief Health Professions Officer, Scottish Government | Doctor of the University |
| David Hayman, Actor, producer and humanitarian | Doctor of Letters |
2009 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Bill Hardcastle, Internationally renowned speech scientist | Doctor of Letters |
2009 (June/July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| John Bellany CBE RA, internationally renowned painter | Doctor of Letters |
| Jonathan Mills, Former Director of the Edinburgh International Festival | Doctor of the University |
| Alan Bain, International business professional and President of the American-Scottish Foundation | Doctor of the University |
| Sally Brown OBE FRSE, Educationalist and former Deputy Principal of the University of Stirling | Doctor of the University |
| Sathyu Sarangi, Humanitarian and campaigner for victims of the Bhopal disaster | Doctor of the University |
| Bruce Halle, Philanthropist, Founder and Chairman of Discount Tire (world's largest independent tire and wheel retailer). | Doctor of the University |
| Diane Halle, Philanthropist | Doctor of the University |
2008 (November)
| Name |
|---|
| Andrew Mooney, Chairman of Disney Consumer Products |
| Andrew Chua, Principal and Executive Chairman, East Asia Institute of Management, Singapore |
2008 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Dame Evelyn Glennie, Internationally celebrated percussionist | Doctor of the University |
| Dr Suborno Bose (earlier in 2008 - laureation), Chairman and Chief Executive, Asia Pacific International University | Doctor of Education |
| Geoff Ball, Former Chief Executive of CALA Homes | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Susan Rice, Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland | Doctor of Business Administration |
| PV Ramana, Chairman of the Institute of Technology Management Group, Mumbai | Doctor of Education |
2007 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Lord Neil Kinnock, Chair of the British Council, politician and former Leader of the Labour party | Doctor of the University |
| Ken McCulloch, Hotelier (1 Devonshire Gardens, Malmaison and Dakota) | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Magnus Linklater, Journalist and editor | Doctor of Letters |
2007 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Brian Cox, Actor | Doctor of Letters |
| Mel Young, Journalist, social entrepreneur and Founder of the Big Issue in Scotland | Doctor of the University |
| Janet Lowe CBE, Former Principal of Lauder College (now Carnegie College) and member of the Scottish Funding Council | Doctor of Education |
2006
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Robert Black FRSE, Auditor General for Scotland | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Professor John D M H Laver CBE, world leader in phonetics | Doctor of Letters |
| Catherine Lockerbie, Former Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival | Doctor of Letters |
| Rt Hon George Reid MSP, former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament | Doctor of University |
2005 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Margaret Alexander CBE, former Chair of the National Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting of Scotland, and former Director of the Centre for the Older Persons' Agenda (COPA) | Doctor of University |
| Professor Raj Singh Bhopal CBE, Professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh | Doctor of Science |
2005 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Dr Barbara Kelly CBE, broadcaster and public servant | Doctor of University |
| Liz Lochhead, Scottish poet and dramatist | Doctor of Letters |
| Sir John Ward CBE, Former Chief Executive of IBM Scotland and former Chair of Scottish Enterprise | Doctor of University |
2004 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, Independent film producer | Doctor of Letters |
2004 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Joan Bakewell CBE, broadcaster and campaigner for the rights of older people | Doctor of Letters |
| Professor Gary Kielhofner, internationally recognised occupational therapist and educationalist | Doctor of Science |
| The Rt Hon Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT FBA FRSE, former Principal of the University of Edinburgh and author of the Sutherland Report on free personal care for the elderly | Doctor of Letters |
| Professor the Lord Quirk of Bloomsbury KT CBE FBA, international expert in linguistics and the English language | Doctor of Science |
2003 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Donald Leach CBE | Doctor of Education |
2003 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Sir Neil MacCormick, distinguished academic, law scholar and former Member of the European Parliament (SNP) | Doctor of Letters |
| Professor Janet Finch, leading UK social scientist and former Chancellor of Keele University | Doctor of Education |
| Michel Tremblay, playwright | Doctor of Letters |
2002 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Niall Bowen, Managing Director of Nutricia Ltd | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Vera Weisfeld, philanthropist and Founder of the phenomenally successful retail giant 'What Everyone Wants' | Doctor of Business Administration |
2002 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Ronnie Corbett OBE, Scotland's best loved entertainer | Doctor of Letters |
| Sir Tom Farmer CBE, Scotland's leading and most highly respected entrepreneur | Doctor of University |
| Professor Peter Ladefoged, distinguished phonetician | Doctor of Science |
| Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman and Chief Executive of Rocco Forte Hotels Ltd | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Mr Peter Thomson, one of Australia's most successful golfers | Doctor of Business Administration |
2001 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor Clive Perry OBE, former Professor of Theatre at Queen Margaret College | Doctor of Letters |
2001 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| The Baroness Linklater of Butterstone, authority on the penal system and promoter of education for children with special needs | Doctor of University |
| Edith MacArthur MBE, Scottish actor | Doctor of Letters |
| Peter Taylor OBE, entrepreneur, leading hospitality specialist and Founder of the Town House Collection (group of luxury boutique hotels in Scotland) | Doctor of Business Administration |
2000 (November)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Canon Kenyon Wright | Doctor of Letters |
| Dr Wilma Steedman | Doctor of Science |
| Joyce McMillan, Journalist | Doctor of Letters |
2000 (July)
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Andrew Cubie CBE, Senior Partner, Fyfe Ireland WS Convenor, Independant Inquiry into Student Finance | Doctor of Letters |
| Dr Dereck Doyle OBE, First Medical Director of St Columba's Hospice | Doctor of Science |
| Dr Wali Uddin, Leading figure in Bangladeshi Community and successful restaurateur | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Professor Sir John Arbuthnott, Distinguished microbiologist and biochemist, Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Strathclyde University | Doctor of Science |
| Dame Judi Dench, Actress | Doctor of Letters |
| The Rt Hon The Countess of Elgin and Kincardine | Doctor of University |
1999
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Derek Cooper OBE, Journalist | Doctor of Letters |
| Dr John Baynham CBE, Former Chairman of Lothian Health Board | Doctor of University |
| Tom Fleming CVO OBE, Actor/Poet/Playwright/Commentator | Doctor of Letters |
| Anne Jarvie OBE, Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland | Doctor of Science |
1998
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Dr Campbell Christie CBE, Retiring General Secretary, STUC | Doctor of Letters |
| Professor Mary Marshall OBE, Director of Dementia Services University of Stirling | Doctor of Education |
| Peter J Lederer CBE, Managing Director Gleneagles Hotel | Doctor of Business Administration |
1997
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| George Borthwick CBE | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Sir David Carter | Doctor of Science |
| Professor Blaise Cronin | Doctor of Letters |
| Prue Leith OBE | Doctor of Letters |
1996
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Professor David Crystal OBE | Doctor of Science |
| Mary Cunningham MBE | Doctor of Science |
| Joan Knight OBE | Doctor of Letters |
1995
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Graham Maitland Bowie CBE | Doctor of Letters |
| Dr Lisbeth Hockey OBE | Doctor of Science |
| Russell Hunter | Doctor of Letters |
| Una McLean | Doctor of Letters |
| Professor Leslie Rodger | Doctor of Letters |
1994
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester | Doctor of |
| Ann Gloag | Doctor of Business Administration |
| Sir Peter Heatly CBE | Doctor of Letters |
| Rev Colin R Martin | Doctor of Letters |
| Claudine Lapsley Morgan | Doctor of Education |
1991
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Ester Cotton | Doctor of Education |
1989
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| William Rough Bryden | Master of Letters |
| Malcolm David Mill (Calum Mill) | Master of Arts |
1987
| Name | Award |
|---|---|
| Margaret Gibson Auld | Doctor of Science |
