By and large I appreciate universities and the efforts made to extend tertiary opportunity to students both internally and externally. Universities have to work hard to balance their research and teaching arms, with funding being a constant consideration. Neither do I believe it unfair for students to contribute to their tertiary education through fees charged. Many governments underpin universities by advancing student loans which begin to be paid back when those graduates become earners.

However, my concern has always been the way the university play up the conferral of honorary doctorates.

This for mine discounts the honour due to hardworking students whose degrees come at great cost and substantial debt.

I feel a focus on honorary qualifications degrades the quality of their work and effort.

Sportspeople, politicans, community contributors and notary publics should never be recognised with honorary doctorates or conferred professorships. Universities who indulge in this practice for the sake of attaching a prominent person to the university discredit academe