Former Vice Chancellor receives Honorary Doctorate

The Award was presented to Ann by Deirdre Newham, Chairman of The University of Northampton’s Governing Council, in front of several hundred graduates from the University’s Northampton Business School, as well as their families and friends in attendance.

The event was additionally viewed by a massive international contingent as over 21,000 people from 50 countries tuned in live via the Internet, as the University broadcast Ceremonies online for the first time in its history.

Accepting her Honorary Doctorate, Ann congratulated both staff and students at the University, saying:

During my time as Vice Chancellor lots of things went right, but they also sometimes went wrong. But this is a lesson for all of us – we learnt from mistakes and then put things right.

Higher education is truly about transforming ourselves and then making a difference to the people around us. I would encourage the graduates here today to take their experiences out into the world and share them with others, and always carry the flame inspired by their time at The University of Northampton.

Ann Tate

Ann began her career in secondary education in North Manchester and held several teaching posts in further and higher education. She joined the University of Ulster in 1990 and became Pro Vice Chancellor there in 1995.

In 2002 she took on the post of Rector at University College Northampton, overseeing its successful transition to full University status and in 2005 became the first Vice Chancellor of The University of Northampton. She retired in 2010 and was appointed CBE in the 2011 New Year’s Honours List for her ‘Services to Higher Education’.