IN PICTURES: Head teacher of Educating Essex school graduates from Chichester
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Yesterday (October 25), students were joined by honorary graduates at the Festival of Chichester for the graduation ceremonies, which continue today (October 26).
Vic Goddard, principal of Passmores Academy, which featured on the BAFTA-nominated Educating Essex documentary on Channel 4, received an honorary doctorate.
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Hide AdMr Goddard is an alumnus of Chichester, having studied to become a physical education teacher in the 1990s, before releasing his best-selling biographical book The Best Job in the World, in which he describes his experiences as a tutor.
The university celebrated last year after it was awarded research degree awarding powers (RDAP) from the Privy Council – on behalf of the Queen.
Chichester has previously awarded PhDs and honorary certificates since 1992, however these have been accredited by the University of Southampton.
University vice chancellor Clive Behagg said: “This is the first time that we are able to present honorary doctorates which are accredited by our institution.
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Hide Ad“Chichester has a history of rewarding those who have significantly contributed to their field, and an honorary doctorate is among higher education’s most prestigious accolades.
“A university is a place where new ideas are formed, and RDAP demonstrates that we are a teaching organisation that does research, rather than a research organisation that teaches.”
Along with Mr Goddard, other honorary graduates include former University of Chichester vice chancellor Philip Robinson: a primary school teacher who taught at Westminster College in Oxford, before becoming Principal of Froebel College of Roehampton University.
He was appointed principal of the then Chichester Institute of Higher Education in 1996 and, under his leadership, ensured Chichester gained university status in 2005.
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Hide AdLeading choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh, whose renowned work has created a contemporary dance genre from classical Indian dance Bharatanatya, also received an honorary doctorate yesterday.
A prestigious figure in British and international dance, Ms Jeyasingh has toured across the world and featured on film, while university students frequently draw on her work in class.
Finally, today’s last ceremony will see Kari Fasting, professor emeritus at the department of social and cultural studies of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, Norway, will also be awarded an honorary doctorate.
A former international athlete, she is past president of the International Sociology of Sport Association and one of the founding members of Women Sport International.
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Hide AdProfessor Fasting’s research area is women and sport and, in recent years, her research has focused on sexual harassment and abuse in sport.
To find out more about graduation at the University visit www.chi.ac.uk/graduation or email [email protected].
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