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Special honorary degrees to be awarded in SU's centenary year
Author: Corporate Communication / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie
Published: 20/02/2018

​​Stellenbosch University (SU) is to honour fourteen foremost thought leaders with honorary doctorates as part of the institution's centenary commemoration.

The recipients for March 2018 are (in alphabetically order):       

  • ​Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, internationally acclaimed psychologist, social scientist, researcher and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath in the UK​
  • Mr Max du Preez, principled and uncompromising journalist and independent commentator
  • Prof Musa Dube, internationally recognised scholar and social activist whose work in the area of HIV/AIDS and violence against women and children can be said to be truly pioneering in nature
  • Mr Trueman Goba, industry leader, mentor of young engineers and champion of the transformation of the engineering profession in South Africa
  • Prof Peter Jones, eminent cancer researcher, leading medical scientist in the field of epigenetics, and distinguished academic
  • Prof Mervyn King, former judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa and esteemed corporate governance expert
  • Archbishop Thabo Cecil Makgoba, “voice of reason", campaigner for equal access to education and Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town
  • Mr Patrice Motsepe, trailblazer for responsible corporate citizenship and business entrepreneur
  • Mr Jannie Mouton,  successful South African business leader and philanthropist
  • Prof Andre Nel, internationally renowned medical sciences researcher in the field of nanomedicine
  • Prof Brian O'Connell, leading educationist and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape
  • Ms Sandra Prinsloo, legendary actress, director and cultural activist
  • Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, internationally respected humanitarian and founder of Gift of the Givers
  • Baroness Christine van den Wyngaert, esteemed jurist and academic
With the exception of Breakwell, all the recipients will receive the honorary doctorates during SU's March 2018 Graduation Ceremonies.​

“The recipients are esteemed local and international thought leaders. They exemplify not only the graduate attributes that we aim to equip our students with, but also the qualities that we want to go into the future with as we enter the second century of our existence as a leading university," SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers said.

Breakwell and Du Preez are to receive the Degree Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) and Dube the Degree Doctor of Theology (DTh). The Degree Doctor of Engineering (DEng) is presented to Goba; the Degree Doctor of Science (DSc) to Jones, the degree  Doctor of Commerce (DCom), to King, the Degree Doctor of Theology (DTh) to Makgoba, while the Degree Doctor of Commerce (DCom) is presented to Motsepe. Mouton is to receive the Degree Doctor of Commerce (DCom), Nel the Degree Doctor of Science (DSc); O'Connell the Degree Doctor of Education (DEd) and Prinsloo the Degree Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil). The Degree Doctor of Science (DSc) is to be bestowed upon Sooliman and the Degree Doctor of Laws (LLD) upon Van den Wyngaert – all honoris causa.

  • Click here for more information on the recipients.