New Year Honours

KNIGHTS BACHELOR

John Ball , Sedleian professor of natural philosophy, Oxford University.  Ivor Crewe , DL, vice-chancellor, Essex University and lately president, Universities UK. Allen McClay , CBE, chair, Almac Sciences, and chair, Queen's University of Belfast Foundation. Michael Pepper , professor of physics, Cambridge University. Graham Teasdale , president, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Nicholas Wright , warden, Barts and the London, Queen Mary School of Medicine.

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

DBE

Averil Cameron, CBE, professor of late antique and Byzantine history, Oxford, and warden, Keble College. Susan Leather , MBE, chair, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

CBE

James Appleby , national director for mental health and professor of psychiatry, Manchester University. David Barker , professor of clinical epidemiology, Southampton University. Richard Blundell , professor of economics, University College London. Patricia Broadfoot , pro vice-chancellor and professor of education, Bristol University. Roland Clift , OBE, professor of environmental technology, Surrey University. Alan Fairlamb , professor of biochemistry, Dundee University. Alan Livingston , DL, principal, University College Falmouth and chair, Combined Universities in Cornwall Steering Group. Malcolm McLeod , professor of African studies, Glasgow University. Robert Mansel , professor of surgery, The Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University. Marion Matchett , chief inspector, Education and Training Inspectorate, Department for Education and Skills, Northern Ireland Executive. Christine Moffatt , professor of nursing, Thames Valley University, and nurse consultant, St George's Hospital, London.

Fiona Moss , postgraduate dean and consultant physician, North West London Hospitals National Health Service Trust. David Sherlock , chief inspector and chief executive, Adult Learning Inspectorate. William Stirling , pro vice-chancellor, Durham University.

OBE

Dennis Alexander , lately head, virology department, Veterinary Laboratories Agency. Julia Briggs , professor of English and women's studies, De Montfort University. John Brindley , governor, York St John College. Margery Browning , lately acting HM chief inspector of education, Scottish Executive. David Cesarani , adviser, Holocaust Memorial Day. Beryl Corner , senior fellow, Royal College of Physicians. Angela Dale , professor of quantitative social research, Manchester University. Philip Dale , member, Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission. Peter Griffiths , lately director, Health Sciences, Lincoln and Louth NHS Trust. Neva Haites , vice-principal and head of the College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Aberdeen University. Francoise Hampson , professor of law, Essex University. Sandra Holtby , lately head, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, London. Kathleen Kiernan , professor of social policy and demography, York University. David Linnell , principal, John Leggott College, Scunthorpe. Adrian Long , lecturer, Queen's University, Belfast. Ian Miller , chair of Skill Scotland, National Bureau for Students with Disabilities. Alexander Moffat , artist and head of painting, Glasgow School of Art.  Thomas Mulryne , lately principal, Methodist College, Belfast. Mary Naughton , chief nurse, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Upkar Singh Pardesi , dean of Business School, University of Central England. Patricia Ida Peattie , lately assistant principal, Napier University. John Ramsay , lately chief executive, COGENT, the sector skills council for the petrochemical and gas industries. Peter Ricketts , honorary professor, Birmingham University. Ann Robinson , principal, Woodhouse College, Barnet, London. Anthony Ryan , ICI professor of physical chemistry, Sheffield University. Andrew Self , pro vice-chancellor (Enterprise), Kingston University. Norman Sharp , director for higher education, Scotland Office, Quality Assurance Agency. Ian Sinclair , research professor, Social Work Research and Development Unit, York. Alan Sykes , lately HM inspector and assistant divisional manager, Research Analysis and International Division, Office for Standards in Education. Alan Waller , visiting professor, international supply chain management, Cranfield University, and president, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Ashley Woodcock , professor of respiratory medicine, Manchester University. Christopher Wright , lately head, Western manuscripts, British Library. Timothy Van Zwanenburg , professor of postgraduate general practice, and director of postgraduate general practice education, Newcastle University.

MBE

Aosaf Afzal , science communication manager, Royal Society. Hussain Ahmed , training adviser, Halton College, Warrington, Cheshire. Keith Barnes , senior management technician, School of Pharmacy, University of London. Baz Barrett , programme manager of Alternative Skills for Life, Stoke-on-Trent College. Peter Bird , governor, Dearne Valley College, South Yorkshire. John Brown , executive director, University for Industry. John Cassidy , programme co-ordinator, Cardonald College. Sheena Grant , cleaner and chair, Unison, Aberdeen. Barbara Green , safety, health and environmental manager, Highbury College, Portsmouth. Madeline Held , director, LLU+, London South Bank University. Susan Hunt , course administrator, Law Department, London School of Economics. Marion McClintock , academic registrar, Lancaster University. Angus Macleod , head, School of Construction, Inverness College. Maureen Mellor , vice-principal, Liverpool Community College. James Nimmo , director, Corporate Services, Jewel and Esk Valley College. Anne Vince , secretary, Council for Higher Education in Art and Design. Anthony Walker , director of student services, Barony College. Richard Walters , librarian, Records and Information Openness Team, Information Services Division, DFES. John Wand , research manager, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. David Wilson , visiting professor in waste management, Imperial College London. Clifford Woods , higher executive officer, Student Finance and Mandatory Awards Team, Higher Education Directorate, DFES. Gillian Wright , European Consortium principal investigator, James Webb Space Telescope Mid-Infrared Instrument, Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council.

DIPLOMATIC SERVICE AND OVERSEAS LIST

CMG

Richard Peter Phillips , programme director, British Council, Jakarta.

OBE

Michael Brophy , for services to education in developing countries. Michael Edwards , for services to literature and UK-French cultural relations.

Lindsey McAlister , MBE, for services to UK arts in Hong Kong. Andrew Picken , lately deputy director, British Council, Pakistan.

MBE

Martin Peter Bentley , for services to education and sport in Kenya. Alison Coutts , lately director, British Council, St Petersburg. Susan Gould de Mayer , for services to British education in Kenya. Christopher Harrison , for services to education in Burma and to UK-Burmese relations. Kevin McCarthy , for services to British education in the Netherlands. Maureen Stewart , manager, British Council, Bulawayo.

'Shocked, surprised and delighted'

An unsung hero who has worked for Aberdeen University for 22 years has been awarded an MBE, writes Katherine Courts.

Sheena Grant , who works as a cleaner and Unison representative, said that she was "shocked, surprised and delighted" when her name appeared on the New Year Honours list.

"You don't often hear of normal people being honoured like this. It has taken a while to sink in," she said.

Ms Grant, who turns 65 this year, said that she would like to see the national pay framework agreement implemented at Aberdeen before she retires.

"We've been campaigning for it for two years. It's one of the most radical changes to come about for 40 years and I've found the campaigning really interesting," she said.

Ms Grant joined Unison a year after starting work at the university, becoming branch chairwoman 15 years ago. The branch represents manual workers and secretarial staff at the university.

Ms Grant, who was born in Aberdeen, has also been a representative for the Higher Education Service Group Executive for the past six years, and has worked for Aberdeen University's Governing Court for the past three years.

Ivor Crewe , the newly knighted vice-chancellor of Essex University, this week hailed the achievement of higher education staff rewarded in the New Year Honours list, writes Alan Thomson.

Sir Ivor, immediate past-president of Universities UK and one of six academics knighted this year, said that the inclusion of so many higher education staff on the list showed the importance of universities to society.

"Universities now touch upon so many aspects of life that I am not surprised to see so many staff honoured. It is a credit to higher education in the UK," he said.

Sir Ivor said that he saw his own knighthood as a recognition of Essex University's achievements - particularly in widening participation - as much as his own.

He added: "As former president of Universities UK, I am also pleased that the position of UUK as the national organisation for universities has received recognition through this knighthood."

Sir Ivor said he was totally surprised by his honour, notification of which arrived one morning along with all his other post.