Honorary degrees

Brunel University

DSc: Peter Williams, executive chairman of Oxford Instruments plc, former lecturer at Imperial College.

DSocSci: Clare Spottiswode, director general of Gas Supply, former chairman and managing director of Spottiswode & Spottiswode Ltd; James Mirrlees, professor of economics and politics at the University of Cambridge and 1996 Nobel laureate for economics; Judi Clements, national director of MIND; Joyce Anelay, peer since 1996.

DTech: Christopher Lewington, chairman and chief executive of TI Group plc; Peter Bonfield, chief executive of British Telecommunications and deputy chairman of ICL.

DUniv: Kenneth Pearce, researcher, lecturer and writer of local history.

University of Lisbon

DSc: Keith Jennings, professor in the department of chemistry, University of Warwick, in recognition of his contribution to Portuguese mass spectrometry over the past 30 years.

Sheffield Hallam

DUniv: Johnny Ball, presenter of Think of a Number, Think Again and Johnny Ball Reveals All, lecturer for the Engineering Council; Sean Bean, actor; Harold Kroto, professor of chemistry at the University of Sussex at Brighton, fellow of the Royal Society, 1996 Nobel laureate in chemistry, founder of the Vega Science Trust; Matthew Parris, journalist, broadcaster and author, parliamentary sketch writer for The Times; Ken Pounds, professor at the University of Leicester, chief executive and deputy chairman of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council; John Tarn, professor of architecture and pro vice chancellor, University of Liverpool.