Former Birkbeck Master receives University of London accolade
Baroness Tessa Blackstone has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of London.
Baroness Tessa Blackstone, who was Master of Birkbeck from 1987 to 1997, was last night awarded an honorary degree from the University of London in recognition of her contribution to public life and Higher Education.
The presentation was made by the University’s Chancellor, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, at the University’s Foundation Day, which this year marks the 180th anniversary of the creation of the University of London by Royal Charter in November 1836. Birkbeck became a constituent College of the University in 1920.
Baroness Blackstone of Stoke Newington, a Labour peer and former Minister of State for both Education and Culture, began her academic career at the London School of Economics. In 1975 she joined the Central Policy Review Staff, an independent unit within the Cabinet Office, before returning to academia as Professor of Educational Administration at the Institute of Education.
This was followed by a post as Deputy Education Officer for the Inner London Education Authority, before becoming Master of Birkbeck in 1987. Her decade of leadership at Birkbeck ended when she took up an appointment with the new Labour government in 1997. She returned once again to academic life as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich in 2004, retiring in 2011.
She continues to speak widely on education in the House of Lords and currently serves as the Chair of Great Ormond Street Hospital and of The British Library.
Giving the oration for Baroness Blackstone at Tuesday’s ceremony, Master of Birkbeck David Latchman CBE, called her appointment as Master ‘inspired’ and paid tribute both to the financial control and the creation and expansion of vocational departments that marked her time at the College.
Commenting on her political career, he added: “Having held various Shadow Ministerial appointments during her time at Birkbeck, Tessa was appointed by the newly-elected Blair Government as the Minister responsible for universities….In a Government whose watchword was ‘education, education, education’ she emphasised the three key principles that had guided her career at Birkbeck and elsewhere; improved standards, wider access and better funding.”
Receiving honorary doctorates alongside Baroness Blackstone were Michael Hayman MBE, Professor Peter Kopelman and The Rt Hon the Baroness Usha Prashar CBE. In addition, Charles Perrin CBE was admitted to the Fellowship of the University of London, the first individual to be so appointed in its 180-year history. More than 400 guests attended the ceremony in Senate House, including staff and students from the 18 independent member institutions of the University.
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