University to offer honorary degrees to 14 industry figures
27/03/2014
In recognition for the work of they have done for the global industry over a number of decades, the university’s Institute for Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT) is to present honorary bachelor’s degrees to twelve people: David Burgess, Barney Crawford, Sateesh Damle, John Ettling, Geoffrey Githinji, Reg Hankey, Jon Hopper, Jonathan Muirhead, Richard Pai, Iain McFadyen, Stephen Trantum and Chris Tysoe.
The thinking behind this initiative is that the people on the list completed their formal leather industry education at one or other of the ICLT’s two predecessors, the National Leathersellers’ College in London and Nene College in Northampton, where students able to complete only a diploma rather than a degree course. All 12 have continued to work in the industry and are now in senior roles in different organisations around the world. Because they have given so much back to the leather sector, the university said it wanted to “upgrade” their original qualifications to honorary bachelor of science degrees.
At the same ceremony, the university will also present Derek Dickins, one of the founders of the Asia Pacific Leather Fair, with an honorary doctorate.
As a special gesture, the University of Northampton has also decided to award a posthumous honorary bachelor of science degree to Steve Miller, a former National Leathersellers’ College student who went on to work in the automotive tanning sector for several decades before moving to Brazil to work for JBS Couros, becoming its technical and innovation director in March 2012. Mr Miller died unexpectedly in February 2014. JBS said a senior representative of the company would be happy to accept the degree at the ceremony in Hong Kong on behalf of Steve Miller’s family.
Image shows Professor Nick Petford, vice-chancellor of the University of Northampton.
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