Glittering prizes

De Montfort University has awarded honorary degrees to Christopher Bruce , artistic director of Rambert Dance Company, (doctor of art) and Maggie Semple , director of the learning experience for the Millennium Dome (doctor of education).

The University of Aberdeen is to award honorary degrees to Scottish journalist Jack Webster (MUniv) and Spanish novelist Lucia Etxebarria (DLitt).

Sir Stephen Brown , former High Court judge, is to receive an honorary degree (LLD) from the University of the West of England for his contribution to the development of the Family Division of the High Court.

Television presenter and campaigning journalist Esther Rantzen OBE has been awarded an honorary degree (DLitt) from South Bank University . She also accepted one on behalf of her late husband, Desmond Wilcox . Also honoured were Jessica Huntley , co-founder of publishing company Bogle L'Ouverture (DLitt) and Sir Satcam Boolell, QC , prime minister of Mauritius (LLD).

Arthur Dimmock received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton in recognition of his involvement in the British deaf community.

Rodney Bickerstaffe , general secretary of Unison, was awarded the first honorary degree (DSc) of the University of Southampton's New College .

Channel 4 newsreader Daljit Dhaliwal and singer-songwriter Billy Bragg were presented with honorary degrees (DLitt and MA, respectively) by the University of East London .

John Smith , of the chemical and process engineering department at the University of Surrey , is the first recipient of the university's award for significant lifelong contributions to mixing research and practice.

Anglia Polytechnic University student Sarah Lander is to be presented with the first Michael Chaplin Annual Scholarship Award , worth £1,000, for a module in the postgraduate diploma in housing.

Wilson Sibbett , a physicist at the University of St Andrews, has been awarded the Royal Society's Rumford Medal in recognition of his work with laser technology.

Mutel Kerr , senior lecturer at Anglia Polytechnic University, has been awarded the title Woman of the Year 2000 for her work for charities in the UK and South Africa. Dario Alessi , a University of Dundee medical scientist, has won the Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators for his work on insulin. Colin Watts , a medical scientist at the University of Dundee, has won the Tenovus-Scotland Margaret MacLellan Award for his research work on the immune system.