Four to receive top honours at Victoria graduation

Four to receive top honours at Victoria graduation

Victoria University of Wellington will present honorary doctorates to writer Lloyd Jones, scholar and researcher Stephen Turnovsky, academic Pham Van Nang and arts administrator Sarah Billinghurst this year.

“We are proud to honour these four people, who have made such significant contributions to their chosen fields,” says Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh.

Lloyd Jones has written 11 works of fiction, his best-known being Mister Pip, which has won several awards, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Overall Best Book Award 2007 and the Montana Medal for Fiction or Poetry.

Stephen Turnovsky is a distinguished international scholar and researcher in economics and mathematics, who has held academic appointments in the United States, Canada and Australia.

His research lies at the conjunction of economics and mathematics, focusing on the application of mathematical models and methods to the analysis of economic problems. He has been widely published in books and in top international journals, and has sat on a number of high profile committees.

Professor Pham Van Nang played a critical role in the development of Victoria University’s Vietnam campus as a joint venture with the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, where he is in his second term as Rector. 

There are now more than 100 students enrolled at the Vietnam campus, and plans are underway to expand the range of programmes being offered.

Sarah Billinghurst has achieved extraordinary international distinction in the field of arts administration as Assistant Manager, Artistic, of the Metropolitan Opera in New York (The Met).

She is internationally acknowledged for her role in increasing and broadening opera audiences through The Met’s weekly radio broadcasts, including its expansion to New Zealand and, more recently, bringing live opera performances to worldwide audiences through digital technology. In addition, she has found the time to maintain very close links with New Zealand, giving advice and assistance through the Kia Ora Foundation (which funds scholarships for New Zealand students in musical performance), and acting as consultant to numerous opera companies.

Honorary Doctorates’ graduation details:

Tuesday 19 May: Michael Fowler Centre

Ceremony 1: 1.30pm  Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, New Zealand School of Music

Honorary Doctorate: Sarah Billinghurst

Ceremony 2: 6.00pm  Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

Honorary Doctorate: Lloyd Jones

Thursday 21 May: Michael Fowler Centre

Ceremony 5: 1.30pm  Faculties of Commerce & Administration, Law

Honorary Doctorates: Pham Van Nang and Stephen Turnovsky

 
ends