Monash bestows honorary degrees in Suzhou, China
Joint Graduate School to officially open in Suzhou, China.
Monash University conferred honorary degrees on five distinguished scientists, researchers, business leaders and educators yesterday.
The Doctor of Laws honoris causa degrees recognise the outstanding contributions in their respective fields and to the wider community of Professor Yi Hong, President of Southeast University; Dr Megan Clark, Chief Executive of CSIRO; Dr Jiang Bo, Vice-President of Tongji University; Professor Ke Yang, Executive Vice-President of Peking University; and Professor Nigel Thrift, Vice-Chancellor of Warwick University.
Monash University Chancellor Dr Alan Finkel AM said Monash had great pleasure in conferring the degrees.
“In all of their roles, within business, education and research, it is a great honour that we can acknowledge the broad contributions of each of the recipients,” Dr Finkel said.
“We are proud to officially welcome them as part of the Monash community.”
The graduation ceremony was held at the Southeast University–Monash University Joint Graduate School in Suzhou, following the official opening of the building that is home to the School.
The Australian Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon. Andrew Robb, and the Victorian Premier, the Hon. Dr Denis Napthine, yesterday joined Monash University President Professor Ed Byrne and Professor Yi Hong from China's Southeast University to officially open the new Joint Graduate School building in Suzhou near Shanghai.
Monash is the first Australian university to be granted a licence to operate in China and the first foreign university granted a licence for the establishment of a graduate school in China.
Professor Byrne said the opening capped off a highly successful year for the Joint Graduate School.
"Our move into China was a bold experiment, but one that has proven successful beyond our expectations," Professor Byrne said.
"I look forward to the future development of the Joint Graduate School in this purpose-built facility."
The School will be complemented by the establishment of a Joint Research Institute to conduct multi-disciplinary research projects in areas of strategic importance to industry in Australia and China, including nanotechnology, bioinformatics, water, energy and light metals. Both universities have world-recognised strengths in engineering, health and science.
Over the 50-year history of Monash University, honorary degrees have been presented to dignitaries including former Australian Treasurer Peter Costello AC (2013), Nobel Laureate Professor Dan Shechtman (2012), business leader Sir Rod Eddington (2011), former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser (2010), mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary (1985), Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1986) and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (1981).