South Bank University
DLitt: Melvyn Bragg, presenter and editor of the South Bank Show, controller of arts, London Weekend Television and author; Anthony Giddens, director of the London School of Economics, professor of sociology and fellow of Kings College, London; Julia McKenzie, actress, singer and director; Michael Heron, chairman of the Post Office and of National Commission for Vocational Qualifications, deputy chairman of NACETT.
University of the West of England
DBA: Leung Chun-ying, founder of CY Leung and Co, based in Southeast Asia, secretary general of the Basic Law Consultative Committee and vice-chairman of the preparatory committee of Hong Kong's Special Administrative Region (1988-90) DEng: Martin Laing, chairman of John Laing plc, president of the Construction Federation, chairman of the Construction Industry Employers Council and the British Overseas Trade Board, member of the Major Contractors Group and the Council of the Confederation of British Industry; Norman Haste, project director for BAA, fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Civil Engineers (winner of the institution's gold medal in 1996) and member of the American and Australian Professional Engineering Organisations.
DLitt: Janet Finch, vice-chancellor of the University of Keele, professor of sociology, chair of the Health Professions Committee, former pro vice-chancellor at the University of Lancaster.
DSc: Tom Blundell, life peer, fellow of the Royal Society, winner of the gold medal of the Institute of Biotechnology, former chief executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, honorary director of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Unit of Structural Molecular Biology, Sir William Dunn chair of biochemistry, University of Cambridge.
Honorary fellowship: Gordon Bolt, former pro director of Bristol Polytechnic, polytechnic representative on the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, head of the school of business studies, national council member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, member of the Bristol Economic Development Board and the court of Bristol University, chairman of the Bristol Folk House Adult Education Centre.
DLitt: Roy Clarke, creator of BBC situation comedies including: Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances, winner of the BAFTA Dennis Potter Award (1995).
DArt: Dione Digby, member of the National Rivers Authority and chairman of its Southern Regional Advisory Board, president of the council and board member of Bournemouth Orchestra.
DBA: Mervyn Ainsworth, chief executive of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators; Ian Raisbeck, executive chairman of the European Foundation for Quality Management.
DEng: John Blashford-Snell, explorer.
DSc: Gordon Higginson, vice chancellor of the University of Southampton (1985-94), twice winner of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers' James Clayton Fund Prize and of the gold medal from the British Society of Rheology.
LLD: John Roper, executive chairman, Guernsey Financial Services Commission.