TV historian David Olusoga says young people are moving into a “very different world” to the one he graduated into, as he receives an honorary degree.
The social historian, from Gateshead, said it was “lovely to be recognised” by his “hometown” before he was made an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law by Newcastle University.
Olusoga, who won a TV Bafta for his documentary Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners in 2016 and received the Bafta Special Award in 2023 for his impact on the TV industry and wider society, was awarded an OBE in 2019.
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Ahead of his graduation speech, he said it was “very difficult” to offer advice to new graduates because of how quickly the world was changing.
“It’s lovely to be back in Newcastle and lovely to be recognised by my hometown,” Olusoga said.
“I’ve always cared about Newcastle.
“I, like many people from my generation, left because of the economic pressures at the time.”
‘Unbelievable change’
Despite moving away, Olusoga said he never wanted to “disconnect” from north-east England.
“I still care about this region deeply,” he said.
When asked what advice he would give to this generation of university graduates, Olusoga said the situation was challenging.
“I think it’s very difficult to offer advice to this generation because we’re living in an age of unbelievable change,” he said.
“So other than congratulations, I think the thing we need to recognise is that young people are moving into a world that is very different to the world I graduated into.”
On Tuesday, campaigner Huffty McHugh from Newcastle’s West End Women and Girl’s Centre will also become an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law.
Ms McHugh said she felt “privileged” to receive the honour “as a proud Geordie and on behalf of the thousands of women and girls both past and present who attend West End Women and Girls Centre”.
“This award recognises that gender equality is an ongoing fight for social justice, not only here in the UK, but globally,” she said.
“If I may echo the words of Dr Martin Luther King, a previous recipient of this award, ‘No one is free until we are all free’.”
Other notable figures receiving honorary degrees include Prof Richard Oreffo, founder of the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation, Leon Restaurants co-founder Henry Dimbleby and Paul Walker, the former chief executive of Sage Group plc.
