Honorary Degrees and Fellowships 1st November

Honorary Doctorates    

An Honorary Degree is one of higher education’s most significant accolades. They are awarded on a selective basis to distinguished individuals who merit special recognition for achievement and distinction in a field or activity connected with the mission of the University. Holders of honorary degrees provide inspiration to students, as examples of success in a variety of ways. They also enhance the University’s profile on a national and international stage.

On the 1st November 2022, the University of Worcester is awarding honorary doctorates to:   

Ian Martin

Ian Martin, the first full-time Disability Manager at the England and Wales Cricket Board will be awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of Worcester today.

Ian is a Royal Navy veteran having served on HMS Ark Royal and HMS London during the first Gulf War. He was diagnosed with a neuro-muscular condition in 1994 and medically discharged from the Navy.

For the last 20 years he has played a leading role in developing the sport of cricket for people with disabilities, becoming the England and Wales Cricket Board’s first full-time Disability Manager in 2007.

Ian has led 17 overseas cricket tours including 6 Ashes Series wins in Australia and overseen the growth in participation of disabled people in cricket to over 70,000 people and increased levels of investment in the sport.

He was a Trustee of the Lord’s Taverners from 2016-2022 and The Neuro-Muscular Centre in Winsford, Cheshire. Ian is also a member of The Marylebone Cricket Club Committee and is a season ticket holder at Everton Football Club.

University Fellowships

A University Fellowship is bestowed upon persons of distinction or those who have rendered significant service to the University or to the community. Fellows join the University’s College of Fellows, which provides opportunities for the individual to support the University in ways that reflect their particular areas of expertise and experience, be that providing work placement opportunities for students, or guest lecturing, among many other ways. They serve as Ambassadors for the University, enhancing the University’s influence in the national and international communities.

On the 1st November 2022, University Fellowships will be bestowed upon:

Professor Richard Downing BSc MB ChB MD FRCS

An eminent vascular surgeon at Worcestershire Royal Hospital will receive a Fellowship from the University of Worcester today.

Professor Richard Downing was born in Stourbridge, West Midlands and qualified in physiology and medicine at Birmingham University. He was awarded a Doctorate in Medicine for studies on pancreatic islet transplantation in the treatment of diabetes mellitus undertaken at Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA. Postgraduate surgical training ensued followed by his appointment as Senior Lecturer in the University Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham and, subsequently, Consultant Surgeon in Worcester.

Richard was instrumental in the development of vascular surgery and, in collaboration with surgical and radiological colleagues, established a Regional Vascular Surgery Unit for Worcestershire and Herefordshire which acted as a model for the ensuing national reorganisation of vascular surgical services. The innovative service included the development of a diagnostic vascular laboratory.

In 1991 he established The Islet Research Laboratory in Worcester. In partnership with colleagues from academic institutions, notably Aston University, the laboratory gained international recognition for pivotal studies on pancreatic islet immunology and physiology aimed to enhance the outcome of islet transplantation in patients suffering the complications of diabetes.

Richard was appointed as Honorary Professor in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University in 2011.

Sarah Dugan

The CEO of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Sarah Dugan, will receive a Fellowship from the University of Worcester today.

Sarah has held a number of roles working across the health and care system, including as lead for the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) from March 2016 to March 2020 and leading key programmes of system-wide work, including the People Board and the new and emerging Herefordshire and Worcestershire Mental Health Collaborative.

Sarah, a nurse by background, has qualifications in Adult Nursing, Children’s Nursing and Specialist Community Public Health. She has held a wide range of roles across provider and commissioning organisations. A resident of Worcestershire, Sarah has spent over 15 years of her career working in the NHS in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.