Honorary Doctorate Degree
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
HONORARY DOCTORATE – PRINCIPLES & CRITERIA FOR CANDIDATE SELECTION
• The awarding of an honorary degree is an important symbol in the life of the WCAEO (World Cultural and Educational Organisation). An honorary degree recognizes exceptional accomplishments and contributions in fields aligned with the mission of WCAEO, including education, culture, human rights, and social equity. This honor is extended to those whose achievements reflect the values held in high esteem by WCAEO, and who serve as sources of inspiration and leadership to its global community.
• In selecting individuals for this distinction, WCAEO also affirms its commitment to associating with individuals whose exemplary lives enhance the organisation’s own values, purpose, and reputation.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
The following specific criteria guide the Honorary Degrees Committee in its evaluation of candidates. The goal each year is to present a diverse and inclusive list of honorees representing various disciplines within WCAEO’s scope, as well as non-academic areas of societal impact. Whenever possible, recipients will be selected to align with the theme or focus of the Convocation where the degree is conferred. Category (a) candidates will typically predominate, with categories (b) and (c) comprising a smaller proportion unless the Convocation is called for a special purpose.
a. WCAEO will prioritize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to education, cultural research, human rights, and public service in alignment with the organisation’s objectives.
b. Recognition will also be given to those whose exceptional accomplishments have enriched cultural and educational understanding in India and around the world.
c. On occasion, WCAEO will honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of the organisation, its regional initiatives, or who have achieved international excellence in fields related to its mission.
PROCEDURES
Nominations: At least once annually, a call for nominations will be issued by the WCAEO Secretariat to its global network through established communication channels and other avenues suggested by the Honorary Degrees Committee. Nominations may be submitted at any time to the WCAEO Secretary using the prescribed form.
Maintenance of Lists: The initial screening of nominations will be conducted by the Secretariat to verify alignment with these guidelines. Nominations will be kept active for three years. If a nominee is not selected within that period, the name will be removed unless re-nominated in accordance with the current criteria. A valid re-nomination renews the nominee’s eligibility for another three-year cycle.
From the active list, the Honorary Degrees Committee will select prospective recipients for each convocation cycle. Once a candidate is shortlisted and approved by the Committee, two members will be assigned to conduct due diligence, using publicly accessible information, to confirm alignment with selection criteria.
Nominators may be invited to take part in the award ceremony as presenters, hosts, or hooders, depending on their relationship to the nominee’s field. Final selection of such participants will be made by a group comprising the President, Convocation Director, Provost, and Senate Secretary.
FORMAT OF NOMINATIONS
This nomination must be written under Freedom of Information guidelines. Please restrict your information to what is available in the public domain. If it is necessary to include private information, this must be clearly marked as such, i.e., “Information not in the public domain.”
Nominations should be submitted on the forms provided by the Co-Ordinator (Nomination Committee). (Please note that a nomination not submitted in this format is difficult to assess and may be adversely affected.)
(a) A completed nomination form (copy attached);
(b) (i) A supporting submission on the form provided (copy attached), containing an introductory statement outlining the primary reasons for the nomination;
(ii) A brief chronological and narrative account of the nominee’s life and work;
(iii) An outline of the nominee’s most significant WCAEO or other achievements;
(iv) An assessment of their national or international standing and contributions;
(v) Any additional information the proposer wishes to bring to the attention of the Committee.
(c) Nominations should be accompanied by an appendix listing the nominee’s published works.
HONORARY DEGREES COMMITTEE
The Honorary Degrees Committee is appointed annually by the Senate and includes the Registrar and other Senate members as designated. The Committee is responsible for selecting and recommending individuals to be awarded Honorary Degrees by the WCAEO.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO SENATE
(1) The Committee shall submit a formal Motion for the awarding of Honorary Degrees, in the form of a written report, at least two days prior to the Ordinary Senate Meeting where it will be discussed.
(2) Names of recommended honorary degree recipients are confidential until they have been approved by the Senate and the candidates have formally accepted the offer.
DOCUMENT CHECKLIST (Common for Honorary Doctorate & Honorary Awards)
Nominations without the following documents will be returned to the nominator:
- A letter from the nominator explaining the rationale behind the nomination, including the nominee’s contributions and key accomplishments;
- No more than three letters of support;
- An abridged curriculum vitae of the nominee including educational background, field of endeavor, awards received, and a brief description of publications (if applicable);
- A short biographical summary (maximum 200 words) to be used as the citation during the convocation, if selected.
AWARDING
Honorary degree recipients are invited to deliver the Convocation address but may decline. Honorary degrees are not awarded in absentia. Honorary degrees are not awarded posthumously, except in cases where the honor had already been accepted and arrangements finalized prior to the nominee’s death. The citation presented at the ceremony should be no more than three minutes in length. In accordance with WCAEO’s bylaws, “Each honorary degree recipient shall be presented for admission [to the degree] by the Director or a designated representative.”
REVOKING (Common for Honorary Doctorate & Honorary Awards)
The Senate may revoke an honorary degree, along with all associated rights and privileges, following a recommendation by the Honorary Degrees Committee and a vote by the Senate.
DEGREE CERTIFICATES AND LETTERS POLICY
Once your honorary doctorate has been conferred—either in person or in absentia—you will automatically receive a certificate. This will be presented to you at the Convocation ceremony or posted afterward by the Co-Ordinator.
If you do not receive your certificate within three months of the ceremony and fail to notify WCAEO within that period, you will be charged for a replacement.
Students who have completed non-matriculated award-bearing courses (certificates or diplomas) through the Department for Continuing Education will receive award certificates from that department.
Note: Electronic copies, PDFs, or scanned versions of certificates cannot be issued at any time.
REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATES:
If your honorary doctorate certificate is lost, stolen, or damaged, a replacement may be ordered for a fee. Only one copy may be held at a time, and multiple copies are not permitted.
Certificates can be ordered through the WCAEO mail system. Certificates delivered within India will be sent via Professional Courier, and international orders will be dispatched via tracked courier service. You may also opt to collect your certificate from a regional WCAEO center.
