BBC reporter gains honorary Doctorate

With some of her colleagues making their own headlines as the controversy surrounding the corporation’s gender pay policy continues to escalate, Ms Guerin has been confirmed among the recipients of York’s Doctor of the University honoris causa, which it confers on people who have made outstanding contributions to society.

A former Moscow, Middle East and Balkans correspondent, she has previously been honoured by the media organisation,Women in Film and Television UK.

Among the other recipients of degrees are the former German President Prof Dr Horst Koehler, who served between 2004 and 2010 and who campaigned for a better partnership with Africa.

The chief conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko, is also being honoured in York. He is credited with helping to build new audiences for classical music, especially among young people.

Another musician, the pianist Alfred Brendel, is a further recipient. The Czech national is known particularly for his performances of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and is also a poet and author.

Sacha Romanovitch, chief executive of Grant Thornton and the first woman to lead a major City accountancy firm, will also receive a Doctorate.