Honorary degrees

University of St Andrews

DD: Gerd Theissen, professor of New Testament, University of Heidelberg.

DLitt: William Boyd, author; Billie Whitelaw, actress; Nawal El Saadwai, author.

DSc: Richard Mabey, writer and broadcaster; Roger Penrose, professor in mathematics, University of Oxford; Eve Arnold, photographer; Jessica Rawson, warden of Merton College, Oxford.

LLD: Elizabeth Carnegy, former member of the university's court, life peer; Hanan Mikhail-Ashrawi, minister of higher education, Palestinian National Authority; Gavin Brown, vice chancellor, University of Sydney.

University of Kent at Canterbury

DCL: Eddy Fong, partner with Coopers & Lybrand in Hong Kong, in recognition of his public service to Hong Kong and for his advice and help to the university; Michel Rocard, former prime minister of France, for his contribution to French public life and the European Parliament; Peter Williams, former director of the Kent Institute of Art and Design in recognition of his contribution to art education in Kent.

DLitt: Lewis Elton, professor of science education, UCL, in recognition of his contribution to higher and science education and the work of the University of Kent; Mary Soames, author and chairman of the trustees of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, in recognition of her contribution to literature and public life.

Noticeboard is compiled by Lynne Williams. For further information see NetGazette on http://thesis.newsint.co.uk