Principal offered with honorary degree from Hong Kong University of Science & Technological know-how


The Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, has been awarded an honorary diploma by Hong Kong College of Science & Engineering (HKUST).
Sir Jim was produced an Honorary Health care provider of Engineering honoris causa in recognition of his major contributions to society at a specific on the internet ceremony.
A three-time graduate of Strathclyde, owning taken his BSc, MSc and PhD levels in the place of electrical engineering, ability units and vitality economics, Sir Jim labored in the electrical utility sector for 7 many years right before returning to Strathclyde in 1984 as a University Grants Fee New Blood Lecturer in Electrical Engineering.
He was appointed to the Rolls-Royce Chair in Electrical Ability Techniques in 1993 and became Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Strathclyde in March 2009.
In the quotation study through the ceremony, HKUST President, Professor Nancy Ip, mentioned: “An accomplished engineer and visionary educational leader, Sir Jim’s large contributions to constructing a better and sustainable foreseeable future have gained him many distinguished recognitions and awards.
“As educational-market collaboration was nonetheless rather exceptional in the 1990s, Sir Jim was uniquely positioned to create and lead Strathclyde’s investigate and commercialisation portfolio by demonstrating how curiosity-primarily based and user-concentrated study could supply a catalyst for beneficial alter. Sir Jim was also pivotal in commercialising university investigate across numerous fields this sort of as power, renewable vitality and AI.
“Sir Jim’s specialist expertise in synergising academia and marketplace also built him an best collaborator for HKUST.”
Honest thanks
Sir Jim reported: “I would like to offer you my sincere many thanks to HKUST for bestowing this honorary diploma on me. This is equally a good private and qualified privilege for me and 1 that I hope will bolster the marriage between HKUST and the College of Strathclyde.
“I have huge admiration for HKUST, its formidable leadership, its tutorial excellence and the good quality and effects of the establishment on modern society and the economic climate at huge, each regionally and internationally.
In just in excess of 30 a long time since its establishment HKUST has grown to come to be a person of the world’s finest universities of science and engineering. This is a good achievement indeed, and our two establishments share comparable strategic DNA, mainly because Strathclyde is an intercontinental technological college that is also socially progressive.
Strathclyde has had a solid affiliation with HKUST for the previous 30 several years considering the fact that previous Deputy Principal David Tedford grew to become a single of its founding University Council Associates in 1991.
The romantic relationship has grown and strengthened above the a long time under the management of Sir Jim with a lately-signed Collaborative Analysis Settlement and Memorandum of Comprehending, in addition to a range of joint initiatives together with joint Master’s Degree programmes and PhD studentships.
Honour listing
In October 2019, Sir Jim was elected President of RAEng, turning into the first Scottish holder of the office. In The Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours Record in 2012, he was awarded a Knighthood for products and services to education, engineering and the economic climate.
Sir Jim is a member of the Key Minister’s Council for Science and Technology he co-chairs, with the First Minister, the Scottish Government’s Electrical power Advisory Board and he is chair of the Independent Glasgow Financial Management Board.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Establishment of Engineering and Know-how, the Institute of Physics, the Strength Institute, an Honorary Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering and a Overseas Fellow of the Chinese Modern society for Electrical Engineering. Most just lately, he was inducted as an International Member of the US Countrywide Academy of Engineering.
Sir Jim at present holds various senior non-govt business appointments on the Boards of ScottishPower, the Weir Group and the Uk National Actual physical Laboratory. He also chairs two of the pan-Scotland university investigation swimming pools in Vitality and Engineering.

