THE chancellor of one of Scotland's top universities has become the first in its 562-year history to be awarded a degree by the institution while holding the prestigious post.
Professor Sir Kenneth Calman will graduate with a Masters of Letters (Research) degree next week at Glasgow University, which was founded in 1451.
It means he will be in the unusual position of awarding two honorary degrees in his chancellor's robes, before changing into the ceremonial attire of a graduand and lining up with students to get his own certificate.
He will then be "capped" and handed his scroll with a handshake from university principal Professor Anton Muscatelli, before proceeding through the quadrangle with his fellow graduates.
Sir Kenneth's research thesis, entitled Makars and Mediciners, examines how medical issues and ethics of the day are reflected in contemporary literature.
"I've always been interested in Scottish literature, but the main starting point for this was a course on medical ethics which I used to run with Professor Robin Downie. We used literature as away to introduce students to ethical issues through poetry, books and plays.
"Out of that came my broader interest on whether literature could illuminate some of the medical issues of the day."
Sir Kenneth gained a BSc in Biochemistry in 1964, an MB ChB in Medicine and Surgery in 1967, a PhD in Dermatology in 1971 and an MD in 1973 – all at Glasgow.
The chancellor is the titular head of the university and is elected to the post for life by the General Council, of which he is president. Appointed in 2006, Sir Kenneth is the 42nd chancellor of the university.
He has previously been chief medical officer for Scotland and later for England, chaired a commission to review Scottish devolution in 2008, and was vice- chancellor of the University of Durham. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of Bath in 1996.
In addition to qualifications gained through hard study, Sir Kenneth has a collection of honorary degrees from the universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Nottingham, Newcastle, Birmingham, Stirling, West of Scotland, Westminster, Brighton and Glasgow Caledonian, and the Open University.
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