I was listening to the radio yesterday and Sara Cox was boasting about how, erm, the University of Bolton are awarding her an honorary doctorate for her services in promoting the town.

Do you think she deserves it? Or do you think (like I do) that this will do nothing to enhance the credibility of this fledging university if it is handing out what are essentially mickey mouse doctorates to minor celebs?

Didn't Jeremy C from Top Gear take the piss out of his from Uni of Luffbro'?

Honary doctorates are fine if the person has truly contributed to the field. I know several academics who don't have doctorates because they entered academia at a time when a PhD was not necessary to teach, but they have excelled in their field. That deserves one.

Perhaps Belford should award one to Nikki for services to Big Brother?

Or Oxford brookes even! oops

Hi Sylvester! How was the wedding and your speech?

Hi Athina. Very good thanks. Everyone had a lovely day and I made sure they'd all had a few drinks before I sent on and did my party piece. Speech went really well (I was rather nervous) and people came up and shook my hand afterwards to say well done, great speech. So I think it went well! How is Athina today?

Excellent! Congratulations I find such speeches difficult too. I think its hard to appear "natural" when you have already decided what you will say (and probably all the jokes). Luckily in Greece we keep quiet in weddings (no speeches from anyone)

I am good, thanks. Working from home today... Sorry I am being a bit off topic, I really don't know the lady and her contributions to say my opinion

Sylvester honey, U R here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check your mail!

I think they take the mick a little too unless as sixkitten has said, people have contributed to the field. That is something completely different however.

Sylvester darling, where are you? I missed you.

BTW, you haven't replied to the last email I sent you.

I've always hated the idea of any honorary degree as I feel that it devalues the award for the people who have worked for it.

The fact that the person an honorary degree is awarded to doesn't need it anyway angers me more.

I agree with Laney - the idea they have a doctorate when they didn't want it enough to work for it themselves annoys me

I think that most academic people would understand the difference between a honorary doctorate and a "normal" one. i.e. nobody with a honorary doctorate and no further merits is going to steal a PhD job (wether in academia or industry) to a truly commited candidate with a real PhD. Of course some honorary doctorates are awarded to people with a really strong research background, but probably the honorary doctorate would be their least considered merit when applying for a job etc.

Nimrod81 it's not that someone with an honorary phd is going to take a job away from someone, as most honorary degrees go to people who never need apply for a job again anyway. It's the fact that the universities give them out to people who (mostly) on the whole don't deserve it, and this devalues all the hard work done by those people who have been working for 3-4years to achieve it