THE SPENDING of £295,000 (€342,000) on awarding honorary degrees over the last five years by the North’s two main universities is wrong, the SDLP has claimed.
Party leader Margaret Ritchie said spending such a sum was of dubious value given the controversy over third-level education funding and the possibility that undergraduates could face annual university fees of about £6,000 (€6,950).
“I am assured by the Minister for Employment and Learning that his department does not provide funding for the awarding of honorary degrees,” Ms Ritchie said. “It will be for the universities to explain how these costs were incurred, but it is noticeable that on average the University of Ulster is spending twice and sometimes three times as much as Queen’s on these degrees.”
Many would feel the awarding of such degrees devalued efforts of students who had to study to qualify. “While many of the recipients of these honours are worthy and excel in their own particular field, we must question what is the value of these titles beyond publicity for the university.”
She said universities should examine other means of honouring the achievements of those who deserved recognition.
Referring to the decision by the House of Commons to lift the cap on undergraduate student fees, she added: “Given these circumstances, it may be more appropriate for universities to look for opportunities to cut their own expenditures, and this seems to be a good place to start.”
She had no problem with universities investing in students and research, “but for universities to be doing this at this time, I find totally unacceptable”.
Among notables awarded with honorary degrees by the University of Ulster are former PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde, singer-songwriter Paul Brady and author and writer Colin Bateman.