Lord Bhikhu Parekh is an Emeritus Professor of Political Philosopher at the universities of Westminster and Hull. He is a fellow of the British Academy and until recently the President of the Academy of Social Sciences. Lord Parekh has received many prizes and awards including the BBC’s Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Distinguished Global Thinker Award, and Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest honours. He was made a Labour Peer in 2000.
Brian Clemens, an established producer, writer and director discussed his long and illustrious career as part of a series of talks at the University of Chichester in November 2009.
Brian was pivotal in the huge success of the 1960s iconic spy series, The Avengers, for which he acted as associate producer and main scriptwriter and it has remained the highest rated show to come to America. Starring Patrick MacNee and various female partners played first by Honor Blackman, then Diana Rigg and later Linda Thorson, The Avengers is seen as the television equivalent of The Beatles in terms of its influence upon 1960s programming.
In the 1970s he teamed up with fellow producer Albert Fennell and Avengers musician Laurie Johnson in setting up the UK's first independent television company and from which two further successes would emerge: The New Avengers (making a star of Joanna Lumley) and The Professionals with Lewis Collins and Martin Shaw.
Besides writing for many other popular television series (including Danger Man, The Champions, The Persuaders, Thriller, Bergerac, Perry Mason, and Remington Steele), Brian has also written screenplays for a number of feature films including: Dr Jeckyll and Sister Hyde, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (which he also directed), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The Watcher in the Woods, and Highlander II: The Quickening".
Adam Locks, Senior Media Lecturer at the University, said: “This is the first in a series of talks by key figures from the small screen and cinema. This is a fantastic opportunity for our students as well as members of the community who are interested in TV and film to gain a unique and personal insight in to the industry.”
Graduands at the University of Chichester’s Graduation Ceremonies shared the stage with celebrity designer Wayne Hemmingway, Lord March and the 2008 Olympic ‘3 blondes in a boat’ gold medal sailors Sarah Webb, Sarah Ayton and Pippa Wilson, who were presented with Honorary Awards from the University on 16th & 17th October at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Over 1,000 students will be receiving their certificates, diplomas, degrees, masters and PHD awards in a range of subjects from Business Studies Dance, English & Creative Writing, History, Music, Sports Studies, Sports Science, Teaching and Theology alongside more than 4,000 family guests and friends.
Five ceremonies will take place over the two days and new graduates will receive their awards from the University’s Chair of the Board of Governors, Richard Bunker.
The Honorary Awards recognise excellence in the Arts, Business, Sports Science and Education both locally and nationally. Other Honoraries at the ceremonies are:
Ronald Harwood CBE, distinguished playwright
Sir Jim Rose, leading educationalist
Stephen Parks, Olympic Sailing Team Manager
The University’s Vice-Chancellor Dr Robin Baker said: “The Graduation Ceremonies are very special days for the university and for all our students. We congratulate every one of them for their achievements and share in their celebrations. We pride ourselves on being the best university on the south coast for graduate employment and we hope that all our students will use the well honed skills and knowledge they have acquired here in their future careers.”
Above: Anne Eynon (51) and her son Michael (22) graduated on the same day from the University of Chichester on Saturday 17th October 2009.
Anne who has battled throat cancer twice, in 1996 and 1997, has gone on to complete her PGCE in Teaching and finally achieve her life-long ambition of becoming a teacher.
The mother-of-three from Saltdean, Brighton, said: “Having cancer really did change my perspective on life and priorities so it’s fantastic that just over 10 years later I’ve been able to do something that I’ve always wanted to do. I did my first degree back in the 1970s and I’ve also wanted to teach but then I got married and had a family. So this is a dream come true.” Anne expressed how much she had enjoyed being a student again, and admitted that she and Michael learned from each other.
“It was a thrilling experience to be back at university with my son. I thought he might be embarrassed but he wasn’t. I helped him at times with his academic studies and he helped me with student etiquette-giving me fashion tips and how to fit in as a mature student! We only quibbled over who could use the study and computer,” she said.
Michael, who graduated with a BSc in Sports Science, hardly needed more reason to celebrate this special day, but in addition to his mother’s inspirational story, the ceremony took place on his 23rd birthday.
Over 1,000 students and 4,000 family and friends celebrated at five graduation ceremonies during 16th and 17th October at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Anne was very excited about the ceremony and concluded: “This really has been a dream come true for me and its great to be able to share this fantastic occasion with my son.”
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