Honorary Doctorates

Eredoctoraten 2014: Professor BJ Casey en Professor Michael Sandel
Honory doctorates 2014: Professor BJ Casey and Professor Michael Sandel

Every year, Utrecht University awards honorary doctorates, usually during Dies Natalis on 26 March. In doing so, the University aims to express its appreciation for the person receiving the doctorate and their work.

Ceremony

The person who receives the doctor at is given a gown (cappa) with the red and white colours of Utrecht University, and granted the title doctor honoris causa (DrHC). The ceremony must also be attended by the supervisors appointed by the faculty, although their role is clearly different than in the case of a conventional conferral of a doctoral degree. Rather than a defence of the research, it is an honorary and ceremonial occasion.