Queen's University, Belfast Desmond Greer, professor of common law, has been made an honorary Queen's Counsel in recognition of his services to legal education, law reform and the legal system in Northern Ireland.
University of Greenwich DBA: Prue Leith, cookery writer and broadcaster, chairman of Leith's and of the Royal Society of Arts, member of the National Training Task Force and the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.
University of Hull DSc: John Goligher, emeritus professor of surgery at the University of Leeds and specialist in colorectal surgery.
DMus: Anthony Hedges, former reader in composition in the department of music, member and former chairman of the Composers' Guild of Great Britain; founder and conductor of the Humberside Sinfonia (1974-81).
LLD: William Huntley, former principal of Risley Hall Community School in Derbyshire.
MA: Wendy Mann, former librarian in the reader services division of the Brynmor Jones Library.
Sheffield Hallam University DUniv: Harold (Dickie) Bird, Test and world cup cricket umpire; John Bridgeman, director-general of Fair Trading; Bruce Millan, former European commissioner for regional policy; Sydney Samuelson, the first British film commissioner; William Stubbs, chief executive of the Further Education Funding Council for England and rector of the London Institute; Crispin Tickell, warden, Green College, Oxford, chancellor of the University of Kent, and former diplomat; Anne Watts, equal opportunities director of Midland Bank.
Fellowships of the university were awarded to: Mavis Ainsworth, recently retired first director of the school of cultural studies; Betty Codona, director of coaching for the English Basketball Association and recently retired head of physical education at Firth Park School; Jasmine Harfoot, managing director, Land Instruments International and governor of the university (1988-96).
University of Westminster DLitt: David Avery, university governor and former lord mayor of the City of Westminster; Dario Fo, Italian playwright, actor and director; Jonathan Harris, university governor and founder of the Continuing Professional Development Foundation; Peter Hennessy, historian and journalist; Richard Hoggart, academic and broadcaster; Jonathon Porritt, former director of Friends of the Earth.
DSc: Terence Burlin, former rector of the university; Ralph Erskine, architect; Alan Rudge, deputy chief executive of British Telecom; Richard Sykes, deputy chairman and chief executive of Glaxo-Wellcome; Lewis Wolpert, professor of biology applied to medicine at Unviersity College London Medical School.
LLD: Margaret Anstee, UN special envoy; Gopichand Hinduja, business leader; Larry Hollingworth, UN commissioner for refugees; L. Singhvi, high commissioner for India; Peter Parker, former chairman of British Rail.
University of Edinburgh The degree of doctor honoris causa was conferred on: Tom Farmer, chairman and founder of Kwik-fit.
DLitt: Moussa Jogee, Scottish commissioner for racial equality.
The 1996 Royal Bank of Scotland/University of Edinburgh The Alumnus of the Year Award was conferred on Emmanuel Evans-Anfom, recognising his major contributions to his native Ghana as a surgeon, scientist, scholar, statesman, sportsman, educationist and administrator.