New Year Honours 2026: knighthood for Leicester vice-chancellor

The vice-chancellor of the University of Leicester has been awarded a knighthood in the 2026 New Year Honours, and three professors have received damehoods. 

Nishan Canagarajah, Leicester’s president and vice-chancellor since 2019, was recognised for services to higher education. 

During his time at the helm of Leicester, Canagarajah has overseen the establishment of the university’s Institute for Inclusivity in Higher Education, founded in response to the race awarding gap across the sector. 

Born and educated in Sri Lanka before moving to the UK to study at the University of Cambridge, Canagarajah is also known for his research on signal processing and texture classification. 

Professors from three UK universities were also awarded damehoods in the 2026 list.

British engineer and UCL professor Polina Bayvel was upgraded from a CBE in recognition of her services to engineering and optical communications. 

Also from UCL, Wendy Carlin, professor of economics, was upgraded from a CBE to a damehood. Carlin’s research focuses on macroeconomics and she is a member of the expert advisory panel of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Sonia Blandford, professor of social mobility at Plymouth Marjon University, was also granted a damehood for services to education. 

Having previously served as pro vice-chancellor at Canterbury Christ Church University, Blandford went on to establish the charity Achievement for All, which focused on improving the prospects of disadvantaged young people.

In total, four vice-chancellors were recognised in this year’s list. As well as Leicester’s Canagarajah, these included Ulster University’s Paul Bartholomew and Edinburgh Napier University’s Sue Rigby, who were both appointed CBE for services to higher education. 

Birmingham Newman University vice-chancellor Jackie Dunne was appointed MBE.

Among others appointed CBE were Lynne Bernadette Barnes, principal lecturer at the University of Lancashire; Nigel Richard Clifford, rector of Lincoln College, Oxford; Teresa Mary Cremin, professor of education at The Open University; and Jonathan Wadsworth, professor of economics at Royal Holloway, University of London. 

There were OBEs for Martin James Humphries, professor of biochemistry at the University of Manchester; Maria Mercedes Maroto Valer, director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions at Heriot-Watt University; and Paul David Mizen, professor and vice-dean of King’s Business School at King’s College London. 

Michael Peter Alcorn, professor of music and associate pro vice-chancellor for sustainability and strategic projects at Queen’s University Belfast, was also appointed MBE for services to music, higher education and the creative industries.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said: “This year’s Honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives.

“Their quiet dedication speaks to the decent, compassionate country we are proud to be. On behalf of the whole nation, thank you – and congratulations to everyone recognised today.”

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com