Oxford Brookes University announces six inspiring Honorary Graduates for September 2023

Recipients of these special accolades are drawn from a wide range of fields, including Formula 1, performing arts, publishing and life-saving vaccination research. 

Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University said: “It is a privilege to be awarding these outstanding individuals with honorary degrees at graduation ceremonies this month, alongside our hard working and dedicated students.

“We carefully select our honorary graduates, ensuring that their values and attributes align with the university. Both our students and staff can take huge inspiration from these individuals and celebrate their achievements together.”

The six honorary graduates for the September 2023 ceremonies are:

Euton Daley – Honorary Doctor of the Arts – 4 September, 5pm
Euton Daley has more than 40 years’ experience working with artists, young people, students and communities in a wide variety of roles in Oxford. Euton has worked as a director, producer, creative writer, programmer, teacher, mentor and trainer. 

In addition, Euton founded the Unlock the Chains Collective in 1986, which produces theatre productions exploring the Black experience through the fusion of dance, music, song and spoken word/performance poetry.

Euton also previously held the position of artistic Director/ CEO of the Pegasus Theatre in East Oxford between 1990 and 2013. The Pegasus Theatre has produced theatre by and for young people for over 50 years. 

Margaret Busby – Honorary Doctor of Letters – 4 September, 5pm 

Born in Ghana, Margaret Busby became Britain’s youngest and first Black female publisher when she co-founded Allison & Busby in 1967. Margaret was educated in the UK and graduated from Bedford College, London, in 1965.

Throughout her career, Margaret has worked as an editor, writer, broadcaster and literary critic. She has also written drama for BBC Radio and the stage, and in 2020 she was appointed as the Chair of Judges for the prestigious Booker literary prize.

Margaret has been a long-time campaigner for diversity in publishing, and currently sits as the president of English PEN, one of the oldest human rights organisations in the world which champions the freedom to read and write around the globe. 

Ian Goddard – Honorary Doctor of Engineering – 5 September, 12pm

Ian Goddard is Head of Technical & Innovation Partnerships at Alpine Formula 1 Team (previously known as Renault F1 team), having joined in 2003  initially in design-based roles for engine and chassis programmes.

Ian has shown a passion for helping young motorsport engineers find a career in Formula 1, by working closely with academia to launch an extensive graduate and intern recruitment programme.

The programme has had a very close and successful relationship with Oxford Brookes, overseeing the employment of a large number of engineers from the university.

Neil Gadsby MBE – Honorary Doctor of the University  – 6 September, 12pm
Neil Gadsby MBE is the founder of Katharine House Hospice, which was opened in memory of his daughter Katharine, who passed away in 1984 aged just 20.

Just three years following Katharine’s death, Neil retired from his role as a headmaster in order to focus his attention on the hospice. Neil then devoted the next 30 years of his life establishing the hospice, on a voluntary basis, and had a passion for addressing the lack of end-of-life care services in Oxfordshire at that time.

In 1991, when the hospice was opened for patients, Neil took on the role of Honorary Chief Executive. Over the next decade, Neil guided the hospice from a day care facility that cared for 80 patients a year, to one providing a wide range of services for more than 500 patients a year.

By the time Neil retired in 2016, aged 80, Katharine House Hospice had reserve funds of £4.5m in place, and was serving over 800 patients a year at an annual cost of £3.6 million.

Rob Bailey – Honorary Doctor of the University – 6 September, 5pm
Rob Bailey is the founder of Covid Print Oxford, an organisation which made free personal protective equipment and face shields for NHS workers, an initiative that he started soon after the first national lockdown in March 2020.

Rob used a 3D printer in his home to make the full-face shields for front-line healthcare workers. Covid Print Oxford then took off after Rob put out an appeal for help on social media as he could only make 50 a week. Following an amazing response to the tweet – being shared 4,500 times – the organisation expanded to 90 volunteers, which included 30 3D-print operators. This enabled Covid Print Oxford to create up to 450 units a day during the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of the face masks were distributed to hospitals, pharmacies, doctors’ surgeries, and schools all over the world.

Professor Teresa Lambe OBE – Honorary Doctor of Science – 7 September, 10am
Professor Teresa Lambe OBE is one of the Principal Investigators overseeing the Oxford/ AstraZeneca vaccine programme, which is estimated to have saved six million lives across the world. 
Professor Lambe helped to design the vaccine in January 2020, and led on the preclinical studies before overseeing the delivery of the immune results needed to support approval in late 2020. In the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2021, Professor Lambe was appointed an OBE for her services to Sciences and Public Health.

Professor Lambe is the Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology, and a Professor of Vaccinology & Immunology at the University of Oxford. She leads a research group which improves human health by controlling disease through vaccinations – stopping epidemics before they become pandemics.