(1) All members of the Council, the Senate and Heads of Academic and Administrative Departments shall be invited once each year to submit to the Honorary Degrees Committee, through the Vice-Chancellor, in confidence, nominations for honorary degrees and joint honorary degrees with specified partner or affiliate institutions, provided that they shall also have the right to submit nominations in confidence to the Vice-Chancellor at any time.

(2) In exceptional circumstances only, cases for the revocation of honorary degrees shall be submitted for the consideration of the Honorary Degrees Committee by the Registrar or members of the Honorary Degrees Committee via the Registrar or Vice-Chancellor.

(3) Nominations for joint or dual honorary degrees shall be considered by the Honorary Degrees Committee (or equivalent) of both the University and the relevant institution(s).

(4) The Honorary Degrees Committee (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Committee’) shall be composed as follows:

The Chair of the Council, who shall be Chair of the Committee

The Vice-Chancellor

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor

The Pro-Vice-Chancellors

The Chairs of the Faculties of Arts, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences

Two lay members of the Council appointed by the Council.

The Committee shall meet typically three times in each academic year to consider the names of persons on whom it is proposed to confer honorary degrees and joint honorary degrees. Any cases for the revocation of Honorary Degrees can be considered by the Committee either by circulation to all members between meetings or on the agenda for a meeting of the Committee.

(5) The powers of the Committee shall be as follows:

(i) To make additional nominations for honorary degrees and joint honorary degrees and seek additional nominations from other members of the University in order to obtain a properly balanced and distinguished list.

(ii) To seek advice confidentially from members of the University on the merits of those candidates under consideration.

(iii) To approve on behalf of the Senate the names of the persons to whom an invitation to accept an honorary degree or joint honorary degree shall be extended and the title of the degree to be conferred in each case, bearing in mind the purpose for which the honorary degrees of Doctor and Master have been instituted.

(iv) To recommend to the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of the Senate cases for the revocation of Honorary Degrees, where such cases are deemed to met the criteria approved by the Senate.

(v) To make confidentially a report at least once a year to the Senate and the Council, including those invited to receive an honorary degree and the awards conferred or to be conferred and to escalate any decisions to the Senate as may be determined appropriate by the Committee.

(6) The whole proceedings in the selection of honorary graduands shall be held to be strictly private, and no communication regarding the proceedings shall be made, without the authority of the Honorary Degrees Committee.

(The Ordinance on Honorary Degrees is Ordinance 14)