Winter graduation celebrations in St Andrews

The first of four graduation ceremonies to mark the academic achievements of more than a thousand Class of 2022 students from across the world began at the University of St Andrews today (Tuesday 29 November).

Amongst those graduating this morning in the town’s Younger Hall today were Dr Judith Coles, one of St Andrews ‘lost medics’, who marked her 75th birthday by being awarded a BSc in medicine 53 years after leaving St Andrews. Dr Coles was one of 33 medics affected by an anomaly which saw her and fellow students slip through the net in 1972 when St Andrews stopped awarding medical degrees.

Winter graduation ceremonies will continue tomorrow, St Andrew’s Day (Wednesday 30 November).

This morning’s Honorary Graduate was Lord Dubs, who has spent his life campaigning for the rights of child refugees.

Below left: Akbar Shahid, from Glasgow, celebrated being awarded a PhD in Medicine with his family. He is pictured with his little sister who is in P6.

At 25, Akbar is now undertaking postdoctoral research in the Ludwig Cancer Research department at Oxford University. He said this is due to the fantastic opportunities he was given to learn medical techniques from Professor David Harrison in St Andrews’ School of Medicine, which enabled him to complete a three-year-long PhD in just over two years.

Below right: Sadhvik Reddy from Bangalore in India celebrated obtaining a Masters in Artificial Intelligence.

Celebrations continued in the afternoon as the Class of 2022 marked their academic success.

The ceremony in the town’s Younger Hall also saw world-famous singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading receive a Doctor of Music (DMus), pictured below in the procession to St Salvator’s Quad after her graduation ceremony.

The University of St Andrews Class of 2022 celebrating academic success on Tuesday 29 November 2022.