Honorary doctorate
An honorary doctorate is usually awarded at an anniversary (every five years) or other special occasion. It provides the recipient with a splendid bull, written in Latin, and the title doctor honoris causa.
Since 1947, Tilburg University has awarded 59 honorary doctorates, including to former UN Secretary Kofi Annan, Al Gore ("I used to be the next president of the United States"), President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, former Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, alumnus Herman Wijffels, and French Prime Minister Robert Schuman, spiritual father of the EU. An honorary doctorate is a recognition of exceptional scientific or social merit.
The very first honorary doctorate was awarded by the then hogeschool in 1947 to the socially minded priest and chaplain Monsignor Henri Poels. The last three honorary doctorates were awarded to Mary Barth, Christine Moorman, and James Gross. That in 2022, on the occasion of the university's 19th anniversary.
In 2002, three people received honorary doctorates: Kofi Annan, at the time a United Nations leader, the sociologist Hans-Dieter Klingemann, and the economist Ariel Rubinstein. In the photo, from left to right (marked with their positions at that time): Mayor Johan Stekelenburg, Prince Wilem-Alexander, Honorary Supervisor Wil Arts, Klingemann, Honorary Supervisor Guido Berns, Annan, Rector Magnificus Frank van der Duyn Schouten, Queen Beatrix, Honorary Supervisor Eric van Damme, Rubinstein, and President of the Executive Board Yvonne van Rooy.
More about history and academic heritage
The Tilburg University academic heritage is a very diverse set of archives, visual materials, collections, devices, recorded stories, et cetera that relate to the history of the university.