AC Committee on Honorary Degrees & Major Awards

 ACCHDMA Meeting Schedule 2023/2024

A call for nominations for Honorary Degrees and Ulysses Medals goes out twice a year, normally in April and October.

April 2020
Due to current circumstances the nominations call scheduled for April has been postponed. The next nominations schedule will be announced via email to all staff in due course.

• Procedure for the Award of UCD Honorary Degrees and Major Awards
• Proposal for the Award of an Honorary Degree
• Proposal for the Award of UCD Ulysses Medal

ACCHDMA Membership 2023-2024

President, Chair
Professor Orla Feely

Deputy President, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar
Professor Barbara Dooley

Vice President for Research, Innovation & Impact
Professor Helen Roche

College Principal – Arts & Humanities
Professor Regina Uí Chollatáin

College Principal – Social Sciences & Law
Professor Colin Scott

College Principal – Business
Professor Anthony Brabazon

College Principal  – Engineering & Architecture
Professor Aoife Ahern

College Principal – Science
Professor Jeremy Simpson

College Principal – Health & Agricultural Sciences
Professor Cecily Kelleher

Nominated by CP – Arts & Humanities, appointed by AC
Professor Liam Kennedy

Nominated by CP – Social Sciences & Law, appointed by AC
Professor Imelda Maher

Nominated by CP – Business, appointed by AC
Professor Cal Muckley

Nominated by CP – Health & Agricultural Sciences, appointed by AC
Professor Catherine Blake

Nominated by CP – Science, appointed by AC
Professor Brendan Murphy

Nominated by CP –  Engineering & Architecture, appointed by AC 
Professor Madeleine Lowery

Co-opted as non-voting members: 

Conferring Unit Representative
Ms Imelda Delap

• The President will present candidates for the award of an honorary degree to the Committee, with supporting documentation including the biography and achievements of the candidate and the rationale for the award.
  
  
• Where representations are made to the President, from within our without the University, that an individual merits the award of an honorary degree, in order to protect the confidentiality of the process, the President will not indicate whether or not that individual will be or has been considered by the Committee.
  
  
• The proceedings of the Committee are strictly confidential.
  
  
• The candidate must not be approached unless and until the Committee recommends the award of an honorary degree.
  
  
• Where the Committee recommends the award of an honorary degree, the President, or a member of the University acting on behalf of the President, will approach the candidate to determine if they will accept the degree.
  
  
• Where a candidate recommended by the Committee is willing and in a position to accept the degree, the University will confer the degree.
  
  
• Where a candidate indicates that they will accept an honorary degree and is to be conferred, their candidacy will be brought to the attention of the next meeting of Academic Council and the next meeting of Governing Authority as an item for noting.
  
  
• The name of a candidate recommended by the Committee for the award of an honorary degree shall not be released unless and until the candidate has indicated they will accept the degree, and then only on the direction of the President.
  
  
• Academic Council Committee on Honorary Degrees and Major Awards will retain oversight of the approval process for the University’s major public awards, which include the Foundation Day Medal; Ulysses Medal; Honorary Doctorates and College/School Medals.

• ACCHDMA Terms of Reference