Honorary doctorate recipients

25th Anniversary BIOMED - October 8, 2024

• Madeline Lancaster
  MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Biomedical Research Institute
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Bert Brône and Prof. Annelies Bronckaers

Foundation Day - May 28, 2024

• Xaveer De Geyter
  Xaveer De Geyter Architects (XDGA)
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts 
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Stefan Devoldere
  
  
• Joëlle Coutaz
  Université Grenoble-Alpes
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering Technology
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Nick Michiels and Prof. Davy Vanacken
  
  
• Michael Nitsche
  IfADo
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Raf Meesen

• Reporters Without Borders
  Foundation Day Honorary Award 2024 on behalf of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Bernard Vanheusden

Foundation Day (50th Anniversary UHasselt) - May 25 & 30, 2023 

• HM Queen Mathilde
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Bernard Vanheusden
  
  
• Erika Vlieghe
  UZ Antwerpen/UAntwerpen
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Leen Popleu and Prof. Jeroen Van der Hilst

• Jordi Sunyer
  ISGlobal/Pompeu Fabra University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Tim Nawrot

25th Anniversary CMK - January 24, 2023

• Anne Larigauderie
  Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Centre for Environmental Sciences
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Robert Malina and Prof. Natalie Beenaerts

Foundation Day (‘Kindness’) - May 24, 2022

• Annemarie Mol
  University of Amsterdam
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts 
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Liesbeth Huybrechts
  
  
• Christian Grönroos
  Hanken School of Economics
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Allard Van Riel
  
  
• Stella Nkomo
  University of Pretoria
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the School of Social Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Patrizia Zanoni
  
  
• Dirk De Wachter
  UPC Psychiatric Centre KU Leuven
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Bernard Vanheusden

• Te Gek!?
  Foundation Day Honorary Award 2022 on behalf of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Vice-Rector for Education Wanda Guedens

Inauguration Data Science Institute - October 22, 2021

• Dipak Kalra
  University College London
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Liesbet Peeters
  Honorary Co-Promotors: Prof. Paul Dendale and Prof. Pieter Vandervoort
  
  
• Jan Rabaey
  University of California, Berkeley
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering Technology and the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Luc Claesen
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Ronald Thoelen
  
  
• William Cleveland
  Purdue University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jan Aerts
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Niel Hens

Foundation Day - November 12, 2020

• Jane Goodall
  Ethologist, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and UN Messenger of Peace
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Bernard Vanheusden

20th Anniversary BIOMED - June 14, 2019

• Arne Akbar
  University College London
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Biomedical Research Institute
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Niels Hellings

Foundation Day (‘Inclusive Excellence’) - May 28, 2019

• Patricia Moore
  MooreDesign Associates
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts 
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Stefan Devoldere and Dr Jasmien Herssens

• Alarcos Cieza
  World Health Organization (WHO)
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Peter Feys

• Franklin A. Tuitt
  University of Denver
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

20th Anniversary VLIR-UOS - May 15, 2019

• Clarice Garcia Borges Demétrio
  University of São Paulo
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Geert Molenberghs

50 Years of Business Economics Teaching in Limburg's Higher Education - February 28, 2019

• Ronnie Leten
  Top Manager
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Piet Pauwels

10th Anniversary Law Faculty - January 15, 2019

• Bruno Vanobbergen
  Children's Rights Commissioner
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law 
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Charlotte Declerck

Foundation Day (45th Anniversary UHasselt) - May 30, 2018 

• Joëlle Tuerlinckx 
  Artist
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Bert Willems

• Yehuda Shoenfeld 
  Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Veerle Somers

• Ayodhya Tiwari 
  Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt (EMPA)
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering Technology
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Bart Vermang

• Harry Timmermans 
  Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the School of Transportation Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Geert Wets

• Susanne Baer 
  Bundesverfassungsgericht
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Petra Foubert

• Serge Abiteboul 
  Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA)
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jan Van den Bussche
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Niel Hens

• John Goddard, OBE
  Newcastle University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

10th Anniversary I-BioStat | 20th Anniversary CenStat | 25th Anniversary ICP Programme | 30th Anniversary Master of Statistics - May 18, 2018

• Thomas A. Louis
  Johns Hopkins University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of I-BioStat
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Geert Molenberghs

20th Anniversary Centre for Environmental Sciences - November 24, 2017

• Jos Delbeke
  Head, Directorate-General for Climate Action of the European Commission
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences and the Centre for Environmental Sciences
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Jaco Vangronsveld and Prof. Bernard Vanheusden

Foundation Day (‘Changemakers in Innovation’) - May 30, 2017

• Morten Bennedsen
  INSEAD Business School
  Honorary Promotor: Vice-Rector for Research Jean-Michel Rigo
  
  
• Mariana Mazzucato
  University College London
  Honorary Promotor: Vice-Rector for Education Karin Coninx
  
  
• Stijn Bijnens
  Investment company LRM
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

Foundation Day (‘Resilient Society’) - May 24, 2016 

• Kunlé Adeyemi
  NLÉ Architects
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jo Berben
  
  
• Paul Stoffels
  Johnson & Johnson
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Veerle Somers
  
  
• Jean-Marie Tarascon
  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Marlies Van Bael
  
  
• Martha C. Nussbaum
  University of Chicago
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

Foundation Day (‘Sustainable World, Smart Entrepreneurship’) - May 28, 2015

• John Lloyd Provis
  University of Sheffield
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering Technology
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Wouter Schroeyers and Prof. Hervé Degée
  
  
• Emmanuel de Merode
  Directeur Virunga National Park
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Johan Ackaert
  
  
• Richard D. Bardgett
  University of Manchester
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jan Colpaert
  
  
• Jeremy Rifkin
  Economist, author, columnist
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

Dies Natalis (‘Think Global, Connect Local’) - May 28, 2014 

• Bijoy Jain
  Architect, Studio Mumbai
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Koenraad Van Cleempoel
  
  
• S. Tamer Cavusgil
  Georgia State University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Piet Pauwels
  
  
• Christine Van Broeckhoven
  UAntwerpen and VIB
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Piet Stinissen
  
  
• Thomas L. Friedman
  Author, journalist, columnist The New York Times
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

5th Anniversary I-BioStat | 15th Anniversary CenStat | 20th Anniversary ICP Programme | 25th Anniversary Master of Statistics - November 15, 2013

• Anastasios Tsiatis
  North Carolina State University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of I-BioStat
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Geert Molenberghs

40th Anniversary UHasselt - September 27, 2013

• Martin Cooper
  Inventor
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the UHasselt Student Council
  Honorary Promotor: Joren Janssen, President of the Student Council

Foundation Day (‘Shaping the Future’) - May 28, 2013 

• Luc Deleu
  Architect
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Rob Cuyvers
  
  
• Henry Chesbrough
  Haas School of Management, University of California
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Wim Vanhaverbeke
  
  
• Lieven Maesschalck
  Physiotherapist
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences & the Associated Faculty of Physiotherapy
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Bert Op ‘t Eijnde
  
  
• Michael Braungart
  Leuphana University of Lüneburg 
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering Technology
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Marc D’Olieslaeger
  
  
• Heinz Klug
  University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Alexander De Becker
  
  
• Richard Friend
  University of Cambridge 
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jean Manca
  
  
• Jean-Jacques Cassiman († August 2022)
  Human genetics expert, KU Leuven
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the UHasselt Student Council
  Honorary Promotor: Wouter Vanoppré, President of the Student Council

Foundation Day (‘Managing the Information Overload’) - May 30, 2012 

• Wil van der Aalst
  Eindhoven University of Technology
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Koen Vanhoof
  
  
• John G. F. Cleland
  University of Hull
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
  Honorary Promotors: Prof. Pieter Vandervoort, MD and Prof. Paul Dendale, MD
  
  
• Silvana Sciarra
  Universita degli Studi Firenze
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Annemie Draye
  
  
• Ramesh Raskar
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Frank Van Reeth
  
  
• Johny Vansevenant
  Journalist Flemish Public Broadcasting Company VRT
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

Foundation Day (‘Diversity’) - May 30, 2011

• Bernardo Secchi († September 2014)
  Architect 
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Associated Faculty of Architecture and Interior Architecture
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Oswald Devisch
  
  
• Monder Ram
  Director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Patrizia Zanoni
  
  
• Mahmoud F. Fathalla
  Assiut University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotors: Prof.Piet Stinissen and Prof. Willem Ombelet, MD
  
  
• Marc Bossuyt
  President of the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Belgium
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law 
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Gunter Maes
  
  
• Ignace Schops
  Director Regionaal Landschap Kempen & Maasland
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Jaco Vangronsveld

20th Anniversary Institute for Materials Research - November 19, 2010

• Andrew B. Holmes
  University of Melbourne
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Institute for Materials Research
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Dirk Vanderzande
  
  
• Richard E. Palmer
  University of Birmingham
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Institute for Materials Research
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Hans-Gerhard Boyen

Foundation Day (‘Art Meets Science’) - May 28, 2010 

• Michael Rowe
  Royal College of Art
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Associated Faculty of the Arts
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Bert Willems
  
  
• Koen Vanmechelen
  Artist
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Piet Stinissen
  
  
• Panamarenko († December 2019)
  Artist
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Freddy Dumortier

Foundation Day (‘Technology for a Sustainable Society’) - May 28, 2009

• Robert Mendelsohn
  Yale University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Business Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Theo Thewys
  
  
• Michaël Grätzel
  Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne 
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Dirk Vanderzande
  
  
• Susan Trumbore
  University of California
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jan Colpaert
  
  
• Alain Hubert
  Explorer and Founder President of the International Polar Foundation
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

Foundation I-BioStat - September 10, 2008

• Norman Breslow († December 2015)
  University of Washington
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University and KU Leuven
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Geert Molenberghs

Foundation Day (35th Anniversary UHasselt) - May 28, 2008

• Christopher Alexander († March 2022)
  University of California, Berkeley
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Associated Faculty of Architecture and Interior Architecture
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Sylvain De Bleeckere
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Hubert Froyen
  
  
• Gerard Unger († November 2018)
  Leiden University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Associated Faculty of the Arts
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Aagje Swinnen
  
  
• Lawrence Steinman
  Stanford University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Piet Stinissen
  
  
• Pieter Jan Lemstra
  Eindhoven University of Technology
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Associated Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Roos Peeters
  
  
• Alan Thompson
  University College London
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Associated Faculty of Physiotherapy
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Eddy Neerincxk
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Bert Op ’t Eijnde
  
  
• Baruch Lev
  Stern School of Business, New York University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Applied Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Wim Voordeckers
  Honorary Co-Promotor: Prof. Philip Vergauwen
  
  
• Shalom Hakkert
  Israel Institute of Technology Haifa 
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Interfaculty Transportation Institute 
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Geert Wets
  
  
• Ingrid Daubechies
  Princeton University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Freddy Dumortier
  
  
• Axelle Red
  Artist
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Luc De Schepper

Foundation Day (30th Anniversary LUC/UHasselt) - May 28, 2003

• Polly Matzinger
  National Institutes of Health Bethesda
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jef Raus
  
  
• Kathleen Eisenhardt
  Stanford University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Applied Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Wim Vanhaverbeke
  
  
• Cees Dekker
  Delft University of Technology
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Luc De Schepper
  
  
• Frank De Winne
  Astronaut
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of Hasselt University
  Honorary Promotor: Rector Harry Martens

Foundation Day (25th Anniversary LUC/UHasselt) - May 28, 1998

• Tom Jovin
  Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Marcel Ameloot
  
  
• David Montgomery
  Stanford University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Applied Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Gilbert Swinnen
  
  
• Yuri Gurevich
  University of Michigan
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jan Van den Bussche

Foundation Day (20th Anniversary LUC/UHasselt) - May 28, 1993

• Michael J. Berridge
  University of Cambridge
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Emmy Van Kerkhove
  
  
• Roger Langenaken
  Honorary Director-General ALZ Company
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Applied Economics
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Wim Van Looy
  
  
• Sir Harold W. Kroto († April 2016)
  University of Sussex
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jean-Pierre François

Foundation Day (15th Anniversary LUC/UHasselt) - May 28, 1988

• Erwin Neher
  Max Planck Institut für biophysikalische Chemie Göttingen
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Paul Steels
  
  
• Sir David Cox
  Oxford University
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Paul Embrechts

Foundation Day (10th Anniversary LUC/UHasselt) - May 28, 1983

• Georges Köhler († March 1995)
  Institüt für Immunologie Basel,
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Medicine
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Jef Raus

• Hans Mohr († December 2016)
  Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg
  Honorary doctorate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Sciences
  Honorary Promotor: Prof. Marcel Van Poucke