to receive Honorary awards

Formula One World Champion and President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club Damon Hill OBE and Theatre Director Rupert Goold will be receiving Honorary awards from The University of Northampton next month at the institution’s Winter Graduation ceremonies.

Damon Hill is being presented with an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his career and outstanding Formula One success and for his local connections to Silverstone, Northamptonshire where the British Racing Drivers’ Club is based.

Acclaimed theatre director and artistic director of the Headlong Theatre Rupert Goold is receiving an Honorary Doctorate for national and international recognition in his field plus his connections to Northampton; his work with the Northampton Royal theatre and his support for the University’s School of The Arts, agreeing to be a patron of the University’s Arts Society and participating in the Big Debate Arts event in 2007.

1,253 students will be graduating from The University of Northampton on Sunday 8 February 2009 in two ceremonies on the day at Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Five members of staff from the University will also be presented with prestigious Teaching and Learning Enhancement awards during the ceremonies. Jonathan Adams, Head of Lift Education, School of Applied Sciences, Karen Beaulieu, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, School of Health, Friedemann Schaber, Senior Lecturer, Design, School of The Arts, Simon Sneddon, Lecturer, Law, School of Social Sciences and Randle Turner, Divisional Leader, Design, School of The Arts will be receiving their Fellowships which have been conferred by the University’s Office of Learning and Teaching.

All have received recognition for excellence in learning and teaching at The University of Northampton, where they will hold the title of Teaching Fellows and will share effective practice across the institution.