We take the time to look back at the history of this prestigious event.
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Foundation Day
Foundation Day is the annual celebration of The University of London’s first charter, granted on 28 November 1836 by William IV.
Our first honorary degrees were presented in June 1903. Among the recipients were the Prince of Wales, and later King George V and Queen Mary.
Since 1903, this accolade has been bestowed on a wide range of distinguished individuals from both the academic and non-academic worlds. Recipients have included Winston Churchill, Judi Dench, T S Eliot, Margot Fonteyn and Henry Moore.
Honorary degrees are approved by the Collegiate Council, who are part of our governance structure. The degrees are presented to the recipients in an evening ceremony in Senate House, held each autumn.
Foundation Day 1933
Foundation Day – 22 November 2023
The honorary fellowships and degrees were presented by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, the University’s Chancellor at the University of London’s Foundation Day. This year’s evening ceremony, which took place in Bloomsbury’s Senate House, marked 186th anniversary of the creation of the University of London by Royal Charter on 28 November 1836.
Honorary Fellowships awarded to:
- Professor Paul Layzell CBE DL
Honorary Degrees awarded to:
- Baroness Ros Altmann CBE
- Dr David N Jones
- Claudia Roden CBE
- Simon Reeve
The five remarkable individuals have all made substantial contributions to public life and university in very different ways.
Foundation Day 2023
In the front row: left to right, are: Claudia Roden CBE, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Professor Wendy Thomson
Honorary Fellowships and degrees awarded
Professor Paul Layzell CBE DL
Baroness Ros Altmann CBE
Dr David N Jones
Claudia Roden CBE
Simon Reeve
Honorary awards are presented by our Chancellor
Her role involves representing the University at a wide range of engagements each year. The Princess Royal has been Chancellor since 1981 and is the 10th person to hold the post since our foundation.
