The University of Warwick has announced the names of those to be awarded honorary degrees at its Summer degree congregations from 13-16th July and its Winter degree congregations in January 2000. Included in the list are best selling author Terry Pratchett OBE, Royal Shakespeare Company actor Alex Jennings and Jaguar's current Chairman and Chief Executive Nicholas (Nick) Scheele. Short biographies of the honorary graduates now follow:-

William (Bill) Emmott (Hon LLD)

Editor of The Economist since 1993. He began as The Economist's Brussels correspondent (1980-82), moving to become Economics correspondent in 198283 and then Tokyo correspondent (1983-86). He became Finance Editor in 1986, Business Affairs Editor 1989-93 and in 1992 was also Editorial Director of the Economist Intelligence Unit.

His publications include The Pocket Economist 1983 (with Rupert Pennant Rea), The Sun Also Sets 1989, Japan's Global Reach 1992, and Kanyro no Taizai 1996.

His Excellency Mr Paolo Galli (Hon LLD)

Italy's Ambassador in the UK since 1995. He entered the Italian diplomatic service in 1958 and served in the Minister of State's Office until 1961. This was followed by his first diplomatic appointment to the UK as Vice Consul in Cardiff (1961 -63). He then was posted for two years as second secretary in the Italian Embassy in Washington. He returned to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1965 as First Secretary in the Co-ordination Department.

His first appointment to Italy's UK Embassy came in 1968 . He rose to the position of First Counsellor in London but moved on to take up the post of First Counsellor of Italy's Warsaw Embassy in 1972. This posting lasted ') years but he returned to Warsaw in 1986 to become Italy's Ambassador to Poland, a post he held until 1988. He has also served his country as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs Department 1975-79), Deputy Permanent Representative, (and later at the rank of Minister) to the EC in Brussels, (1980-85), Director General Aid and Co-operation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador rank from 1989, (1988-91), and Ambassador to Tokyo, (1992-95).

Professor Sir Michael Rutter CBE (Hon DSc)

A professor of child psychiatry since 1973, he has been the Director of the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre since 1994. He has also been an Honorary Director of the MRC Child Psychiatry Unit since 1984.

He has held posts at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York (1961-62), the MRC Social Psychiatry Research Unit (1962-5), Senior Lecturer and later Reader University of London Institute of

Psychiatry (1966-73). From 1966-73 he was also a Fellow at Center for Advanced Study in Behavioural Sciences at Stanford in the US.

His extensive list of publications, and jointly authored and edited publications, includes:-Children of Sick Parents 1966, A Neuropsychiatric Study in Childhood 1970, Education Health and Behaviour 1970, Infantile Autism 1971, Maternal Deprivation Reassessed 1972, Children with Delayed Speech 1972, Troubled Children 1975, Cycles of Disadvantage 1976, Child Psychiatry 1977 (later reissued as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry), Changing Youth in a Changing Society 1979, 15000 Hours: Secondary schools and their effects on Children 1979, Depression in Young People 1986, Treatment of Autistic Children 1987, Language Development and Disorders 1987, Parental Breakdown 1988, Assessment and Diagnosis in Child Psychopatholoy 1988, Studies of Psychosocial Risk 1988, Straight and Devious Pathways from Childhood to Adulthood 1990, Developing Minds 1993, Development Through Life 1994, Psychosocial Disorders in Young People 1995, Stress and Resilience in Children and Adolescents 1995, Behavioural Genetics 1997. He received a CBE in 1985 and was knighted in 1992.

Nicholas (Nick) Scheele (Hon DSc)

Chairman and Chief Executive of Jaguar Cars Ltd since 1992 and soon to become Senior Vice-President of Ford Europe. He began his career in the motor industry in the Purchasing Supply, Procurement and Appointments section of Ford Britain in 1966. In 1978 he moved to the US side of that part of Fords operation, becoming Director of the US Supply Policy and Planning Office in 1983. In 1985 he was appointed Director for Body and Chassis Parts, and in 1988 he became President of Ford of Mexico. He was appointed Vice-Chairman of Jaguar Cars Ltd in January 1992 quickly rising to become frill Chairman and Chief Executive.

Rev. Clive Gregory (Hon MA)

Clive studied English at Lancaster University before taking an MA in Theology at Cambridge. He served as a Curate in Margate for a number of years before taking up the post of Anglican Chaplain at the University of Warwick in April 1992. He was instrumental in introducing an Ecumenical Partnership in the University Chaplaincy and in May 1997 he was appointed Senior University Chaplain. In 1998 he was appointed Team Rector for the Coventry East Team.

Dr David Potter CBE (Hon DSc)

Dr Potter is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive of Psion PLC. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, he gained his doctorate from Imperial College, London in 1970. He lectured at Imperial from 1970 to 1980 (in 1974 he held the position of Assistant Professor at UCLA) before establishing the successful Psion business.

He was awarded the Mountbatten Medal for Outstanding Services to the Electronics Industry in 1994 and in 1997 he was awarded a CBE.

He has held Directorships of Charterhouse Venture Management Ltd (1985-94), The Press Association (1994-97 - Vice Chairman 1995-97), London First Centre (1994-present) and Finsbury Technology Trust (1995-present). He also served as a member of the Dearing Committee’s Inquiry into Higher Education (1996-7) and has served as a member of the London Regional Council of the CBI since 1993.

Alex Jennings (Hon DLitt)

Once a student of English and Theatre studies at Warwick (1975-8) now one of the Royal Shakespeare Company's (RSC) most accomplished actors. After graduating from Warwick he trained for two years at Bristol Old Vic Drama School and went to a range of roles in regional repertory theatre including Robespierre in The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Gloumov in Too Clever by Half at the Old Vic, for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1988. He was nominated in the same category the following year for portraying Dorante in The Liar.

He has also performed for the Royal National Theatre as Kittel in Ghetto and Captain Plume in The Recruiting Officer.

His RSC roles include the title role in Peer Gynt , (for which he won an Olivier Award 1995/6 for Best Actor), Theseus/Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream (UK, American tour and Broadway), Angelo in Measure for Measure, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, and the title role in Hamlet. His appearances include War Requiem, the RSC's film version of A Midsummer Night's Dream and most recently as Lord Mark in the Oscar-nominated movie The Wings of the Dove.

His television appearances include Smiley’s people, The franchise Affair, Inspector Morse, Alfonso Bonzo, the title role in Ashenden, Dead Poets' Society, Inspector Alleyn, and Hard Times.

Terry Pratchett OBE (Hon DLitt)

Terry's first career was as a journalist, Bucks Free Press in 1965, Western Daily Press in 1970, and Bath Chronicle in 1974, moving in 1980 to become Publicity Officer for the Central Electricity Generating Board. However everything changed in 1983 when he had published The Colour of Magic, the first of his extremely popular Discworld novels - a series of comic fantasy books set in a disc shaped world that glides through space on the backs of four elephants which are in turn supported by a giant turtle. In September 1987, soon after he had finished writing the fourth Disc world book Mort, he decided that he could afford to devote himself to full-time writing. He has now written a total of 35 novels (23 of them in the Discworld series) land the hard back editions of his books alone sell over 100,000 copies making him a regular feature in top ten selling authors lists. The books have been turned into numerous radio plays, TV animations and theatrical productions.

His next book due out in June is a collaboration with two University of Warwick scientists, Professor lan Stewart and Dr Jack Cohen. Entitled "The Science of Discworld", and published by Ebury Press, the book will use the fantasy setting of the Discworld to explain the real science of our universe.

He has been Chairman of the Society of Authors, and in 1997 was chairman of the panel of judges for the 1997 Rhone-Poulenc science writing prize. He has also carried out much work for the Orang-Utan Foundation (one of his most popular characters in the Discworld books is an orang-utan, and in 1998 he was awarded an OBE 'for services to literature'.

The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Sedley (Hon LLD)

A judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division since 1992. His first association with Warwick as a Visiting Fellow in the School of Law in 1991 he became an Honorary Professor within the school in 1994. He has also held visiting and Honorary academic positions at the Osgoode School of Law in Canada, Hong Kong University, the University of Wales. Before being called to the Bar of the Inner Temple in 1964 he described himself as a freelance writer, interpreter, musician, and translator, He became a QC in 1983. From 1983 - 88 was President of the National Reference Tribunals for the Coalmining Industry. He also served as Chairman of the Sex Discrimination Committee of the Bar Council from 1992-95, Assistant Director of the Public Law Project 1989-93, Hon Vice President Administrative Law Bar Association 1992present, and Member of the International Commission on Mercenaries 1976. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1991. He was knighted in 1992. His publications include:-a translation of From Burgos Jail, by Marcos Aria and Vidal de Nicolas, 1964, Whose Child? (a report of inquiry into death of Tyra Henry), 1987; he edited A Spark in the Ashes: writings of John Warr, 1992: and he has contributed to a number of other publications.

Dr Sir Richard Sykes FRS (Hon DSc)

Chairman since 1993 and Chief Executive since 1993 of Glaxo Wellcome PLC (Deputy Chairman 1993 - 97). A MORI Poll in 1998 declared him to be the UK's most impressive industrialist. He began his career at Glaxo as Head of its Antibiotic Resistance Unit (1972-77). He held a succession of appointments in Glaxo's research divisions and has also been a member of the International Advisory panel of the National Science and Technology Board 1991-97, the Central R&D Committee for the NHS, the Council for Science and Technology (1993-present), the Advisory Council of Save British Science 1993-present, The Foundation for Science and Technology Council 1994 - present, the Trade Policy Forum 1995-present, the Council for Industry and Higher education 1995 - present, the Dearing Committee of Inquiry Into Higher Education 1996-97, Chairman of the Task Force, Inward Investment in UK Pharmaceutical Industry 1994-present, Presidents Committee of the CBI 1995-present.

In September 1998 he was installed as President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA). At his installation he said had chosen "Prospering through science" as the theme for the year of his presidency "so that we bring a greater focus on the importance of having a strong science base, both in our academic centres and industrial laboratories". Sir Richard said: "This must also involve developing young people who are imbued with the excitement of inquiry and discovery that engagement with science can bring. And, importantly, creating a public that is well informed on matters scientific and who can engage in the informed debate we must encourage and must all engage in. He was knighted in 1994 and made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1997.

Lord Taylor of Warwick (Hon LLD)

Created a life peer In 1996 he is a barrister, writer, and Radio/TV producer and presenter. He stood for election to Parliament in Cheltenham in 1992 but failed to win the seat on what many press commented at the time was racial grounds. Called to the Bar in Gray's Inn in 1978 he practised as a barrister on the Midlands and Oxford circuit until 1990. He was a special adviser to the Home Secretary from 1990-91 and from 1991-2 acted as a consultant to Lowe Bell Communications. He has been a member of Solihull District Council 1986-90, the Greater London FEFC Committee (1994-96), a non executive director of NW Thames Regional Health Authority (1992-93), and a Director of the City Technology Colleges Trust 1994-95. He is also a member of the Executive Committee for Sickle Cell Anaemia Relief.

Dr Sir Peter Williams CBE (Hon DSc)

Chairman (since 1991) and Chief Executive (since 1985) of Oxford Instruments group. He obtained an MA in Natural Sciences and PhD in Solid State Physics at Trinity College Cambridge. He has held research and teaching posts at Selwyn College Cambridge 1969-70, Imperial College London 1970-75. he joined VG instruments group in 1975 and was Deputy Director there from 1979-82. He Joined Oxford Instruments Group in 1982.

He has been Chairman of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council PPARC since 1994, and Chairman of the Trustees of the Science Museum since 1996. He has also been a member of the Council for Science and Technology since 1993. He has been a Supernumerary Fellow of St Johns College Oxford since 1988 and in 1997 was made an Honorary Fellow of Selwyn College Cambridge. In 1986 he was made Guardian Young Businessman of the Year, he received his CBE in 1992 and FEng in 1996. He holds Non-Executive Directorships of Advent VCT, VCT 2 and THS Partners.

Professor Roger Whittenbury CBE (Hon DSc)

He began his career as a Biologist and Assistant Bacteriologist in Edinburgh University's East of Scotland School of Agriculture in 1956-1962. He took up a Research Fellowship in Stanford University in 1962 btit returned to Edinburgh in 1963 to take up a lectureship (later Reader).

In 1972 he joined the University of Warwick as Professor of Biology and in 1975 he was made Chairman of Warwick's Department of Biological Sciences. He has also served the University in a number of senior roles including Director, Board of Warwick University Science Park 1983, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University (1978-79 and 1989-95) and even as Acting Vice-Chancellor (1992-93) He has also served in a number of roles on the UK's Higher Education Funding bodies and Research Councils including SERC, NERC, AFRC, BBSRC and the University Grants Committee/University Funding Council. He has also been President of the Society of General Microbiology (1981-1984), a Member of SERC/DTI Biotechnology Joint Advisory 1989-1992, Board Chairman of Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens and a Member of Communicable Disease Strategy Group.

An honorary degree will also be awarded to the following at the winter degree ceremony in January 2000:

Dr Kenneth Edwards (Hon DSc),

Dr Edwards has served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester since September 1987 and will retire next year after 11 years of distinguished service during which he also served as Chairman of CVCP - the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (1993-1995) - the body that represents all UK universities. Dr Edwards has recently been appointed to Chair the Association of European Universities, an international body of 500 European universities in 40 countries. Dr Edwards has held academic positions at the University of California (1961-62), University of Birmingham (visiting Lecturer in Genetics 1965), University of California (Leverhulme Research Fellow 1973), INTA Buenos Aires Visiting Professor 1973) and Cambridge University (1966-87, including a period as Head of the Genetics department 1981-84, and Sec.Gen. of Faculties 1984-87. He is also a member of the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (1994 present).