Previous honoris causa recipients

Find the list of past pre-eminent honorary graduates at graduation ceremonies below.

  • Doug Thompson AM Hon DLitt Macq.
  • Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, LLB(Hons) Syd., Hon LLD Macq., Governor of New South Wales
  • Mr Kevin Rogers Hon DLitt Macq.
  • Mrs Helen Rogers  Hon DLitt Macq.
  • Cherry Daniels OAM Hon DLitt Macq.
  • Dr Matt Barrie, BE (Hons) BSc (Hons) Syd. MSEE Stanford MAppFin Hon DLitt Macq. MAppFin GAICD, Chief Executive of Freelancer Limited
  • His Honour Judge Martin Blackmore SC,  Hon DLitt Macq., Acting Judge, District Court NSW
  • Emeritus Professor Rosalind F Croucher AM, BA (Hons) LLB AMusA PhD LLD Hon LLD Macq., President of Australian Human Rights Commission
  • The Honourable Dr Michael Egan AO, BA Syd. Hon DUniv Macq., Chancellor of Macquarie University (2008-2019)
  • Commissioner Dr Shane Fitzsimmons AO AFSM, MMgt Hon DLitt Macq., Commissioner of Resilience NSW
  • Dr Catherine Foley AO PSM, DipEd PhD BSc(Hons) Hon DSc Macq., Australia's Chief Scientist
  • Dr Rosemary Hicks, BSc (Hons) MBusTech Hon DSc Macq., CEO of Australian Research Data Commons
  • Professor Fred Watson AM, BSc MSc StAndrews PhD Edinburgh Hon DSc Macq., Astronomer-at-Large, Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources
  • Dr Pat Corrigan AM, HonDLitt Macq., Managing Director, Corrigan Express Pty Ltd
  • Dr Fiona Crosbie, Hon DLitt Macq., Chairman, Allens
  • Dr Noel Wagg, GradDipAdmin, Canberra, BA Hon DLitt, Macq.
  • Professor Jim Patrick AO, BSc MSc DEng(hs), Hon DSc Macq., Chief Scientist – Emeritus, Cochlear Limited
  • Dr Wendy Harmer, Hon DLitt Macq., Broadcaster ABC Radio Sydney, ABC
  • Dr Sue Kench, BA LLB Hon DLitt Macq., Global Chief Executive, King & Wood Mallesons
  • Dr Janet Gale, Hon DLitt Macq.
  • Dr Natarajan Chandrasekharan, Hon DLitt Macq. Chairman, Tata Sons
  • Dr Peter Overton, BEc Hon DLitt Macq., Chief Newsreader, 9 News, Sydney; 60 Minutes, Channel Nine
  • Dr Vicki Waters, MSchM BEd DipT Hon DSc Macq.
  • Dr Li Sze Lim, Hon DBus Macq., Chairman, Guangzhou R&F Properties Co., Ltd
  • The Hon Dr Jillian Skinner, Hon DSc Macq., Former NSW Health Minister and Minister for Medical Research
  • Professor David J Mabberley AM, MA (Oxon.), Ph. D. (Cantab.), D.Phil. (Oxon.), Hon DSc Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Ross Street, BSc (Hons) PhD Syd., FAA FAustMS, Hon DSc Macq.
  • Dr Peter Moran, Hon DLitt Macq.
  • Dr Shekhar Dinanath Narvekar (N Chandra), BA Bom., Hon DLitt Macq., Chairman & Managing Director, N. Chandra Global Infotainment Ltd.
  • Dr Liz Ellis AO, BALLB Hon DLitt Macq.
  • The Hon Justice Brian Preston SC, BA LLB (Hons) Hon DLitt Macq., Chief Judge, Land and Environment Court of NSW
  • Dr Alan Finkel AO, PhD, Hon DLitt Macq., Australia's Chief Scientist, Australian Government
  • Professor Jef D. Boeke, PhD, Hon DSc Macq., Founding Director, New York University Langone Medical Center
  • His Excellency Dr the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d), Governor of New South Wales, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor John Dudley, BSc PhD Auck., HonDSc Macq.
  • Sir Liam Donaldson KB, MB ChB, MSc (Anatomy), MD, HonDSc Macq., Chancellor, Newcastle University
  • Dr. Sangita Reddy, BSc (Hons), MHA, HonDBus Macq., Joint Managing Director of the Apollo Hospitals Group (India)
  • Dr. Richard Glover, BA (Hons) Syd., HonDLitt Macq., Presenter, Drive, ABC Radio Sydney
  • Professor Ronald Thomas Ridley, MA Syd., DLitt Melb., HonDLitt Macq., FSA, FRHistS, Fellow of the Pontifical Academy of Archaeology (Rome), FAHA, Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne
  • Dr. S Stuart Clark AM, BALLB (Hons) HonLLD Macq., FAAL FAICD, Consultant, Clayton Utz
  • Professor Dennis Altman AM, BA (Hons) UTas, MA Cornell, HonDLitt Macq., FASSA, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University
  • Dr. Glenn Stevens AC, MA, LL.D. (Hon.) Western, BEc(Hons), Hon DSc Syd., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Margaret Anne Pomeranz AM, BA HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr David James Stratton AM, HonDLitt Syd., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Dr David Weisbrot AM, BA(Hons) CityNY, JD UCLA, HonDLitt Macq., Chair, Australian Press Council
  • Emeritus Professor Dr John Richard Melville-Jones, BA MA DipClassArch Cant., PhD W.Aust., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Ian Alfred Pollard, MA Oxf., PhD IMC, BA HonDBus Macq., FIAA
  • Mr Richard Ackalnd AM, Bec Syd., BLegS, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor John Thompson AO, BSc(Med), HonDSc Macq., MBBS, MD
  • Dr Laklak Burarrwanga, DipTeach Batchelor College, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr John Whitehouse, LLB, BA Syd., BSc Macq., DipLegPr. UTS, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Colin Lam, BSc(Hons) HK, HonDBus Macq.
  • Dr Roderic Holliday-Smith, BA BA(Hons) HonDBus Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum AO, B Juris LLB(Hons) Monash, LLM QU., HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Hon Catherine Margaret Branson QC, BA, LLB Adel., HonLLD Flin., HonDLitt Macq., FAHA
  • Rt Hon Malcolm Fraser AC CH, HonDLitt Macq., Former Prime Minister of Australia
  • Dr Phillip Adams AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Ita Buttrose AO OBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Sir Peter Knight FRS, BSc, DPhil Sus., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Uncle Ronald Heron, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Cate Blanchett, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs, LLM SMU, LLB PhD Melb., HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Heather Ridout AO, BEc(Hons) Syd.,HonDBus Macq.
  • Dr Ian James Thorpe OAM, HonDLitt UWS, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Gail Kelly, HDipEd, BA, MBA, HonDBus Macq.
  • Dr Andrew Tink, BA, LLB ANU, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Ann Caroline Sherry AO, BA Qld., GradDip IR QUT, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Kate Grenville, BA(Hons) Syd., MA Colorado, DCreativeArts UTS, HonDLitt NSW, HonDLitt Syd., HonDLitt Macq., FAHA
  • Professor Emerita Jill Roe AO, BA Adel., MA ANU, DLitt Macq., FASSA, FFAHS
  • Dr Dawn Casey PSM, HonDPhil Qld., HonDA C.Sturt, HonDLitt Macq., FAHA
  • Commissioner Andrew Phillip Scipione APM, GradCertSecurityMgt E.Cowan, PGDipPoliceMgt, MMgt, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Victor Carroll, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Honourable Justice Patricia Bergin SC, BLegS, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Megan Clark, BSc(Hons), HonDSc W.Aust., PhD QU., HonDAppSc RMIT, HonDSc Macq., FTSE, FAICD
  • Dr Catherine Burn APM, BPsyHons NSW, MMgt UTS, BA, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Hon Dr Robert James Lee Hawke AC, BA LLB, HonDLitt WA, BLitt, HonDCL Oxf., HonDUni SA, NSW, Nanjing, Hebrew, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Maggie Beer AM, HonDBus Macq.
  • The Hon Dr John Watkins, LLB Syd., MA DipEd HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor David James Skellern AO, BSc BEc PhD Syd., HonDSc Macq., FTSE
  • The Honourable John Winston Howard OM AC, LLB Syd., HonLLD Notre Dame, HonDUni Bond, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Honourable Paul John Keating, HonLLD Keio, HonLLD Sing., HonLLD NSW, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Paula Dawson, GradDipPaint RMIT, BArt Victoria Coll.(Aust.), MFA, PhD NSW, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Edwin Phillip Devereaux AM, DC, DO, ND, Dip.Ac, FICC, FACC, HonDSc Macq.
  • The Honourable James Jacob Spigelman AC QC, BA(Hons) LLB HonLLD Syd., HonLLD Macq.
  • Professor Joseph Samuel Nye, Jr. A.B. Prin., B.A. Oxf., Ph.D. Harv., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, MB BS Hon MD Syd., HonDSc W'gong, HonDSc NSW, HonDUniv S.Cross, HonDUniv Aust.Cath., HonDLitt Macq. FRANZCP Distinguished Professor Stephen Crain, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders
  • Sir Nicholas Michael Shehadie AC OBE, HonDLitt UWS, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor Brian P Schmidt, BS (Physics), BS (Astronomy) Arizona, MA, PhD Harv, HonDLitt Macq.,FAA
  • Dr John Kaldor AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Geraldine Doogue AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Peter Warne, BA, HonDBus Macq., FAICD
  • Dr Dimity Fifer, BADipEd HonDLitt Macq.
  • Sir Christopher Ondaatje OC CBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Hon Sir David Li Kwok-po GBM GBS OBE JP, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Michael Newth, BA (Hons) DipEd, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Tony Coleman, BA MBA HonDBus Macq., FIA, FIAA, FAICD
  • Dr Ross Roderick Gittins AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Brian Croke, HonDLitt Macq., Executive Director, Catholic Education Commission
  • Dr Catherine Livingstone AO, HonDBus Macq., Chair, Telstra Corporation Ltd
  • Dr Sandra Levy, HonDLitt Macq., Chief Executive Officer, AFTRS
  • Dr Chris Roberts, HonDSc Macq., Chief executive Officer, Cochlear Ltd.
  • Professor Max Coltheart AM, HonDLitt Macq., Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University
  • Dr Edmund George Capon AM OBE, HonDLitt Macq., Director and Chief Curator, Art Gallery of New South Wales
  • Dr Christine Nixon APM, HonDLitt Macq., Victorian Government's Advisor on Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery
  • Dr M A (Tim) Besley AC, HonDSc Macq., FAIM Chairman, Science and Engineering Challenge Council, University of Newcastle
  • Professor Paul Bishop, DSc Macq., Professor of Physical Geography, University of Glasgow
  • Dr Murray Cook, DipTeach Macq., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Jeff Fatt, DipArts Syd., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Anthony Field, DipTeach Macq., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Sam Moran, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Greg Page, DipTeach Macq., HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Johanna Griggs, HonDLitt Macq., Television Presenter and Commonwealth Games Medallist (1990)
  • Dr Jeffrey J McMullen AM, HonDLitt Macq., Journalist and Chief Executive Officer, Ian Thorpe's Fountain for Youth
  • Dr Maurice L Newman AC, HonDBus Macq., Chancellor of Macquarie University (2002-2007)
  • Emeritus Professor Mary O'Kane, HonDSc Macq., NSW Chief Scientist & Scientific Engineer
  • Dr Kim Williams AM, HonDLitt Macq., Chief Operating Officer, Foxtel Management Pty Ltd
  • Professor Paul Davies, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Charles Stanley Dixon, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Peter Jenkins, HonDSc Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Ross Murdoch Martin, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Di Yerbury, HonDUniv Macq., Former Vice-Chancellor, Macquarie University
  • Dr Geoffrey Walter Grigg, HonDSc Macq.
  • The Honourable Emeritus Professor Joseph Ezra Isaac AO, HonLLD Macq., Department of Management & Industrial Relations, University of Melbourne
  • Dr Russell Duncan Lansbury, HonDLitt Macq., Professor of Industrial Relations and Organisational Studies, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney
  • Dr Ian John Macfarlane AC, HonDLitt Macq., Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia
  • Dr John Wolseley, HonDSc Macq., Artist
  • Dr Anthony Roland Blackshield, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Errol Bruce Davis OAM, HonDUniv Macq.
  • Dr Ruth Eason Duckett, HonDUniv Macq.
  • Dr Edwin Arthur Judge AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr William Edwin Norton, HonDUniv Macq.
  • Dr Brian John Spencer, HonDUniv Macq., FAIM, FAICD
  • Mr M A (Tim) Besley AC, HonDSc Macq.
  • Professor Frederick Leonard Hall AM, HonDUniv Macq.
  • Dr David Victor Murray, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Frank Hamilton Talbot, HonDSc Macq.
  • Sir Christopher John Chataway PC Kt, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr John Carrick KCMG, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Zelda D'Aprano, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Steven Anthony Mark, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Valerie Pratt, HonFellow Macq , HonDLitt Macq
  • Dr Peter James Ryan QPM, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Vincent Noel Serventy AM, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Walter Victor Abraham, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Jessica Anderson, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Helen Elizabeth Archdale MBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Nigel Andrew Winter Ashton AM, HonDSc Macq.
  • Professor Ernst Badian, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Faith Bandler AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Gordon Alfred Barclay, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Quentin Alice Louise Bryce AO, HonLLD Macq.
  • Mr Joseph Yam Chi-Kwong JP, HonDSc Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Frederick Chong, HonDSc Macq.,
  • Dr Herbert Cole Coombs, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Stella Cornelius AO OBE, FAIM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Alison Laura Crook AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor Albrecht Dihle, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Harold Raymond Edwards, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Frederick Edmund Emery, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr R H Frater AO, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Keith John Goesch, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Jacqueline Jarrett Goodnow AC, HonDSc Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor M Yasmine Gooneratne AO, DLitt Macq.
  • Dr Diana Rose Graham OAM, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Pauline Marcus Griffin AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Michael Alexander Kirkwood Halliday, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Edmund Hillary KG ONZ KBE, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Dulcie Sybil Holland AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Associate Professor Frederick Cossom Hollows AO, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Miriam Beatrice Hyde AO OBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Malcolm Geoffrey Irving AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Trevor Alexander Johnston HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Elizabeth Jolley AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Peter Henry Karmel AC CBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Sir Harold Knight KBE DSC, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Christopher Koch AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr John Landerer AM, HonLLD Macq.
  • Fr Michael Lapsley SSM QSM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor Hugh Mackay, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr David G J Malouf AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Bruce E Mansfield, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Colleen McCullough, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Reverend Dr Dorothy McRae-McMahon, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Professor John Gilmour Nutt AM, HonDSc Macq.
  • Professor Masateru Ohnami, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Margaret Hannah Olley AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Earl Ronald Owen AO, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Peter Pazmany, HonDSc Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Hugh Whitelaw Stuart Philp AM, HonDLitt Macq.,
  • Emeritus Professor Herbert Walter Piper, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Alfred H Pollard AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Mrs Imelda Roche AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Valmae Lenore Rundle OAM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Edna Ryan, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Honourable Susan Maree Ryan AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Jocelynne Scutt, HonLLD Macq.
  • Professor Margaret Anne Ganley Somerville AM, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr William Howard Steel, HonDSc Macq.
  • Professor Robert Henry H Symons, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Esther Szekeres, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr John Thom, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Derek Tribe AO OBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Helen Newton Turner AO OBE, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Margaret Valadian AO MBE, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Peter Lindsay Weir AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Mary White, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Peter Stephen Wilenski AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Dr Frank Wroe, HonDSc Macq.
  • Dr Joseph Yam Chi-Kwong, HonDSc Macq.
  • Sir Garfield Barwick, HonLLD Macq., First Chancellor, Macquarie University
  • Dr Robert William Bellear, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr Madge Dawson, HonDLitt Macq., Educator, social worker, researcher and interest in the status of women in Australia
  • Professor John Wear Burton, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Emeritus Professor Arthur Delbridge AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Honourable Justice R Else-Mitchell CMG, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Honourable Justice Elizabeth Evatt AO, HonLLD Macq., President of the Law Reform Commission, former Chief Judge of the Family Court
  • Dr Stephen FitzGerald AC, HonDLitt Macq., first Australian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
  • Dr Arthur John Templeton Ford MC, HonLLD Macq.
  • The Honourable Justice Mary Gaudron, HonLLD Macq.
  • Dr James Gleeson AM, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Sir Asher Joel KBE AO, HonDLitt Macq.
  • The Hon. Barry Owen Jones MP, HonDSc Macq.
  • The Hon. Justice Michael Kirby AC, HonLLD Macq., Chancellor, Macquarie University
  • His Honour Mr J F Lincoln AM, HonLLD Macq., Deputy Chancellor, Macquarie University
  • Emeritus Professor Alex Mitchell CBE, HonDLitt Macq., First Vice-Chancellor, Macquarie University
  • Mr A G Moyes AO, HonDSc Macq., IBM Australia
  • Emeritus Professor Percy Herbert Partridge AC, HonDLitt Macq.
  • Mr Thomas William Shapcott AO, HonDLitt Macq., Poet and Writer
  • Sir Laurence Street AC KCMG, HonLLD Macq., Lieutenant-Governor of NSW and Chief Justice of NSW 1974-88
  • Kath (Oodgeroo) Walker (Noonuccal), HonDLitt Macq., Poet and Writer
  • Emeritus Professor Edwin C Webb, HonDSc Macq., Vice-Chancellor, Macquarie University
  • Dr Robyn Williams, HonDSc Macq., Executive Producer, Science Unit, ABC
  • Professor Wang Zikun, HonDSc Macq.