Minister Trevor Manuel to be awarded Honorary Doctorate of Laws by McMaster University in Canada
7 Jun 2012
On 14 June Trevor Manuel, Minister of National Planning in the Presidency of South Africa will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by McMaster University in Canada. The McMaster Honorary Doctorate is a highly selective award bestowed on recipients recognised for their contributions in public service as well as their influence in national and international affairs.
Minister Manuel will receive the Doctorate award for his leadership across the longest period of fiscal discipline, macro-economic stability and sustained growth in South Africa's history, and his role in charting the next phase of the country's growth. McMaster is one of the Top 100 universities in the world, and is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 23,000, and more than 156,000 alumni in 140 countries.
There are three general categories of people upon whom the University confers honorary degrees: Individuals who are distinguished scholars or who have made outstanding contributions to the creative or performing arts.
Individuals who have distinguished reputations in the area of public service at the national or international levels, or who have had long and distinguished careers in professions such as law, or as educators, for example, and individuals who have made important and noteworthy contributions to McMaster University and/or the local community.
Other honorary doctorate recipients at the McMaster University Spring 2012 convocation include, among others, AA Bronson, a renowned Canadian artist, Yves Brechet, a professor of materials science and Raymond Currie, a renowned researcher in the areas of urban sociology, sociology religion etc.
Other past recipients of honorary doctoral degrees from McMaster University include former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin; former Canadian Auto Workers national president Buzz Hargrove; former Privy Council clerk Kevin Lynch, maverick biologist Craig Venter comedian Rick Mercer and Business Executive Don Tapscott to mention but a few.
This is the eight honorary doctoral award bestowed on Minister Manuel for his service to South Africa; the previous seven were all from South African institutions (see below) The McMaster award is the first from a university abroad.
Minister Manuel has previously received seven Honorary Doctorates.
1. Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from Stellenbosch University (2001)
2. Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from University of the Western Cape (2002)
3. Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Technikon South Africa (2002)
4. Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Peninsula Technikon (2002)
5. Honorary Doctorate of Economics from University of Natal (2003)
6. Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Free State Technikon (2006)
7. Honorary Doctorate of Law from Rhodes University (2006)
Statement issued by The Presidency, June 7 2012
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