2 July 2004
University of Dundee honorary degrees - Friday 2 July
Photo opportunity 9.30am, Robing Room, City Chambers, Dundee. Opportunity to photograph Andrew Marr
and Naren Patel.
10am Graduation ceremony for the Faculties of Medicine & Dentistry and Education & Social Work.
The University will confer honorary degrees upon:
Andrew Marr, the BBC's top political commentator started his journalistic career as a trainee reporter at
the Scotsman. Since then he has worked for the Independent, The Economist as political editor and
columnist for The Express and The Observer. He was appointed political editor of the BBC in May 2000.
Awards include Columnist of the Year, Journalist of the Year and the best individual contributor on
television. Andrew Marr attended Dundee High School for his early schooling and lived near the city as a
young boy.
Lord Naren Patel is an obstetrician of international standing specialising in the care of mothers in high
risk pregnancy. He studied at Queens College Dundee and is currently honorary Professor and Consultant at
the University of Dundee and Ninewells Hospital. Lord Patel has published widely; his many research
papers making a significant contribution to the area of premature labour, fetal growth retardation and
obstetric epidemiology. He is Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and has
been Vice-President and President of the College. He is also Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Honorary Fellow of the College of Surgeons of England and
Edinburgh. He received a Knighthood in the Birthday Honours List in 1997.
Photo opportunity 1.30pm, Robing Room, City Chambers, Dundee. Opportunity to photograph Hamish MacInnes
and Jane Tomlinson.
2pm Graduation ceremony for Faculty of Nursing.
The University will confer honorary degrees upon:
Hamish MacInnes OBE BEM is a mountaineer, rescuer, designer, film consultant and author. Born in the
Borders in 1930 he was one of a small team to undertake the first winter traverse of the Cuillin Ridge in
Skye in 1965. He has climbed in the European Alps, Caucasus, New Zealand, South America and the
Himalayas, including three expeditions to Mount Everest. Writer of a number of books on travel, MacInnes
has also been a producer, advisor and safety expert with film producers such as Fred Zimmermann and David
Putnam and actors Sean Connery and Clint Eastwood. McInnes is a world leader on mountain safety and
rescue. He has designed rescue equipment and is a former leader of the Glencoe Mountain Rescue team.
Jane Tomlinson was nominated by the students for exceptional bravery and selflessness in the face of
adversity. When Jane was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000 she decided to train for a 5km Race for
Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Since then she has run the London Marathon, London Triathlon
and the Great North Run raising a total of £451,000 for charities to date.
For further information or to arrange interview please contact the Press Office on 01382 344768
By Angela Durcan, Press Officer 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, a.durcan@dundee.ac.uk | 
