Sir Richard Branson among four to receive 2024 UCC honorary doctorates

Sir Richard Branson, a very wealthy British man who owned the Virgin company, received a special degree from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC).

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Sir Richard Branson, a very wealthy British man who owned the Virgin company, received a special degree from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC). Three other important people from Jamaica also received special degrees at the same event. The UCC gave out these special degrees on July 29, 2024, at the National Arena in St Andrew.

The other people who received degrees were: Edmund Bartlett (for his work in hotels and tourism), Adam Stewart (for his work in business), Dr. Patricia Smith (for her work in understanding how people think and act)

Sir Richard is the founder and head of Virgin Group Limited. He launched Virgin Records in the early 1970s and eventually established the multinational Virgin Group which covers the music, journalism and non-fiction, business and space exploration industries.

Branson said he was very happy about getting this degree.

“I feel elated to be considered for this honorary doctorate in business and entrepreneurship. The main part of UCC’s mission is to prepare students to become innovative, and exceptional business and community leaders, with integrity and social responsibility. I am pleased with their approach, and align myself with this mission”

The head of the university, Professor Colin Gyles, said they chose people who have done very well in their work for a long time. These people make changes and come up with new ideas, which is what the university likes.

“The UCC selected individuals who have excelled in their chosen fields over decades. These awardees not only created change and are driven innovators in their respective fields, but they represent the core values of our university”.

Professor Colin Gyles, president of the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean. (Photo: Facebook @uccjamaica)

The UUC is calling this event "It's a New Beginning ...Arise and Take Your Place". It will be their biggest event, with about 1,000 students getting degrees and over 6,500 people watching. Many more will watch online from all over the world.

Gyles added, “This is a testament to the hard work and persistence of our recruitment team; the passion and professionalism of our lecturers, and the tenacity of our students. We had a record of 774 students in last year’s commencement so this year, it is in fact, a success for us”.