Best-selling author Rosamunde Pilcher was the star attraction at the first of Dundee University’s seven graduation ceremonies.
The Carse of Gowrie writer, whose works include the Shellseekers and September, said she was “very excited” and pleased to be renewing her acquaintance with the university, having helped previous fund-raising efforts.
She was joined at the Caird Hall ceremony by some of the more than 3000 students receiving degrees and diplomas this week.
University principal Professor Pete Downes said, “The campus and the city will be buzzing with activity in one of our busiest weeks of the year.
“In addition to graduation we also have the Dundee Literary Festival and the reception for our international students.
“This is a time of great celebration and I hope everyone attending graduation or coming on to the campus for any of our events has a wonderful time.”
Family and friends were be able to watch the graduands, from the college of art and social sciences, come up on stage to receive their degrees and diplomas and be dubbed by the traditional blue Dundee bonnet, brandished by university chancellor Lord Patel.
They also heard Professor Downes speak about the “real dilemma” universities faced in trying to prepare students for the outside world when so much of their teaching and research was being overtaken by new developments and discoveries.
Among the main aims of higher education had to be helping students to develop the judgment to choose between what is useful and relevant and what is not and also how ethical issues, such as the development of synthetic life forms or research on the dangers of drugs, are played out in wider society.
Someone who has proved she can tap into society’s cares and concerns is Rosamunde Pilcher, who was born in Cornwall in 1924 but has lived much her life in the Dundee area.ImpressiveIntroducing her, Dr David Robb spoke of the “overwhelmingly impressive” statistics of her career, with 28 novels and dozens of short stories, with worldwide sales in excess of 60 million.
“And all done without a boy wizard or a flying broomstick in sight,” he said.
She was an unashamedly populist writer, but took her craft extremely seriously.
Her fiction centred on the everyday realities of the lives of women.
“Part of the romance of her books, however, consists of her perception that this way of living is not merely humdrum, but valuable, even wonderful, to be enjoyed and appreciated for itself.”
Mrs Pilcher said, “I am very excited it’s a lovely day, with lots of beautiful colours.”
This is her second honorary degree, having already received one from the Falmouth School of Art.
Also receiving an honorary degree yesterday was Professor Roberto Lenton, an Argentinian water expert who co-chaired the United Nations task force on water and sanitation.
His great-grandfather was born in Perthshire.