Former WA premier Mark McGowan AC will receive an honorary doctorate during a summer graduation ceremony next week at The University of Western Australia.
Mr McGowan will be made an Honorary Doctor of the University on the seventh day of an eight-day summer graduation series, which will see 4,500 students receive their degrees across 15 ceremonies from Monday 9 December to Wednesday 18 December.
Mr McGowan, who served as the 30th premier of Western Australia from 2017 until his retirement in 2023, attended the University of Queensland and worked as a legal officer for the Royal Australian Navy, at HMAS Stirling naval base, south of Perth.
Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, Mr McGowan was recognised for “eminent service to the people and Parliament of Western Australia, to public health and education, and to international trade relations”.
Molecular and cell biologist Emeritus Professor Sue Fletcher AO and Elizabeth Perron, director of the Perron Group and executive director Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, will also be awarded Honorary Doctorates during ceremonies.
The Honourable Dr Ken Michael AC CitWA and Dr Michael Chaney AO will receive the honorary title of Chancellor Emeritus, to recognise and honour their outstanding contributions and service as former Chancellors of the University.
Emerita Professor Lynette Abbott and Mr Frank Cooper AO will receive Chancellor's Medals for sustained and outstanding contributions to the University. A Chancellor’s Medal will be posthumously awarded to the late Professor Anas Ghadouani, and accepted by his family.
Dr Pin Pin (Debbie) Chan will receive the Robert Street Prize, awarded for the most outstanding thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy each year.
Guest speakers at the ceremonies include Dr Iain Grandage, Artistic Director of Perth Festival 2020-2024, and dual Olympian and lawyer Heidi Gan.
More than 12,000 people are expected to converge on UWA’s Crawley campus for the festivities, with the first graduation starting at 5pm on Monday 9 December.
This week the UWA graduation ceremony held in Albany celebrated the achievements of local graduands, staff and researchers during its 25th anniversary in 2024. Special awards were presented to community members including Emeritus Professor Geoff Riley AM, who received a Chancellor’s Medal, Lynette Knapp, Merningar Elder and an Adjunct Research Fellow, who received an Honorary Doctor of Science and Ron (Doc) Reynolds, Wudjari Nyungar Mirning Ngudju man and knowledge holder, who received an Honorary Doctor of Letters.