A Denmark-based octogenarian credited with promoting and shaping the field of occupational health nursing worldwide for over 50 years and one of Cumbria’s leading tourism and economic figures will join more than 800 students graduating from the University of Cumbria this week.
Gowned graduands and their loved ones will be converging on Carlisle city centre to celebrate their achievements tomorrow, July 19, Wednesday and Thursday.
Carlisle Cathedral, celebrating its own 900th anniversary in 2022, will see degrees and other academic awards conferred upon the graduands in seven ceremonies, each one watched by proud parents, families, and friends who have supported them.
On each occasion, there will be a formal procession into the Cathedral with staff and graduates in academic robes. Receptions will take place at the Crown & Mitre Hotel immediately after each ceremony.
This week’s events are the first set of ceremonies to celebrate the University of Cumbria’s class of 2022 as the institution makes a return to its biannual ceremonies, with a further set planned to take place in November.
From adult nursing to zoology, those completing flexible and diverse programmes delivered across the university’s five institutes – arts; education; health; business, industry and leadership; and science and environment – will be participating.
They will include newly qualified nurses who are the first to complete the university’s four-year Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship, a programme which was the first of its kind when it was launched in 2018, and international students who have completed programmes via the BachelorPlus partnership between the university and Dusseldorf-based DAA Wirtschaftsakademie.
The university’s collaborative links with employers to address higher-level skills, sector and place needs will also be demonstrated when project management graduands who work for organisations of international, national, and regional importance, such as Sellafield Ltd and BAE Systems celebrate.
Special awards will also be presented over the course of the three days. They include four honorary fellowships, an Alumnus of the Year award that recognises the exceptional achievements of a graduate, and the ‘Spirit of Cumbria’ award which is presented to a graduand who embodies the university’s values of being Progressive, Personal and Engaged.
Vice chancellor Professor Julie Mennell said: “The University of Cumbria strives to inspire and equip our graduates and communities to thrive, now and for future generations. Our graduation week exemplifies this and the tremendous impact our graduates have and in so many aspects of our region’s sectors and public service.
“We are immensely proud of our class of 2022 and what they have achieved in such challenging circumstances. We are looking forward to welcoming them and their loved ones to Carlisle Cathedral and to celebrating their success.”
All ceremonies will be live streamed and can be viewed at https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/graduation.
