Well deserved
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- Date published:
1:08 pm, April 23rd, 2009 - 17 comments
Categories: helen clark -
Tags: auckland univerity
Helen Clark has been awarded an honorary doctorate, a Doctor of Laws, by Auckland University.
Chancellor Roger France said in a written statement that the degree recognised Helen Clark’s “enormous contribution to New Zealand and on the international stage”.
“Helen Clark had made a mark nationally and internationally in a way that few leaders can aspire to.
I cannot think of anyone better to give it to.
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One is assuming you agree with the concept of Honorary Doctorates in the first place then.
Considering she is an expert on the law now, it is amazing how maly laws she broke or let them pass by.
Like MikeE, I think Hon Doctorates are a load of tripe. Degrees need to be earnt, not thrown willy nilly around like this.
I have 2 degrees, but I had to work for them both.
Yeah I think honorary degrees are stupid. Like Peter Johns, it took me 5 years of studying to get my two.
Jarbury, I was lucky, it took me 4. Masters was only 1 year, thank god.
I can think of someone who is also deserving, Winston Peters, oh wait on he is a lawyer already
Peter – Helen Clark already had a Masters.
With neither of them having worked a day in the real world I’m sure they fully deserve the title
gosh and golly—all this personal stuff—and not even so much as a hint at what this award constitutes.. bitterness over-rules.. eh chaps.?
Now we are assured that PJ considers Auckland University the dispensers of “tripe”. His pejorative term.
But within the spirit of this I am left to ask whether the living thing that becomes tripe upon its death would be at all insulted by these lame learneds.. 😉
I think it’s just kind of interesting the Helen Clark, who says she’s not at all into special titles and things like that, would be awarded an honorary doctorate, which seems to be just that same kind of thing.
You you trolls wonder why your idol John Key gets the treatment here?
BLiP, I’m anything but a John Key fan. Surely you realise that by now. For example: http://www.thestandard.org.nz/theres-optimistic-and-theres-just-wrong/#comment-129331
Present company excluded. Of course. Apologies to jarbury.
Key should offer Clake a Knighthood, see what she would do with that?
ripp0 – my degrees are from Auckland Uni, but these were earnt the normal (hard) way, attend lectures, do lab stuff, assignments, final exams etc.
Giving them away is wrong in my opinion if they are not earnt. This is a personal opinion, not based on my Right Wing leanings, I will say the same thing if Key got an Hon Doct as well.
The University is the one that gets to decide what ‘earned’ means John. They are archaic hide bound institutions, with all sorts of traditions, and I like them for that.
Crikey, they give out your ‘earned’ degrees and doctorates in all sorts of crazy subjects these days. I’m pretty sure there are more than a few worthless phd’s floating about the place that are of a lot less merit that Helen’s achievements. But again, that’s up to the universities to decide. If I don’t like what they are doing, I suppose I could send mine back in protest or something…
PJ,
do you not dishonor the University from which you say you earned their degrees..?
your child may gift unto you on your birthday.. would you deny her wish to do so..?
whatever, I ask you think more objectively, and, despite your reassuring words, less obsessively.. in this case.
An honorary doctorate in Law for her outstanding contribution to the legal world; the EFA & the Sea Bed and Foreshore Act.
^ keep lawyers in work for years to come!!
For goodness sake! Universities give honorary degrees to show respect and to gain an association with the recipient. They may also be hoping for large donations in the future. It has nothing to do with expertise in the particular subject. Victoria made Roger Hall an honorary Doctor of Laws!
Slaving students – don’t despair. Your time will come. As well as your hard-earned degrees you may well be handed an honorary one if you get famous enough. Just make sure you have your cheque book handy.
For the record, I’m delighted Helen Clark has been honoured by her university, and I know her old Political Studies colleagues will be celebrating.