UEL celebrates graduation with joyful festivities

Thousands of graduates and their guests gathered at the University of East London’s (UEL) Docklands Campus this week as the University held nine graduation ceremonies across three days. 

Families, friends, staff and distinguished guests celebrated the achievements of graduates from across the University’s six schools. 

Under bright summer skies, graduates in their formal robes and mortarboards 

paraded through the riverside campus grounds before assembling at SportsDock for the official ceremonies.  

Addressing the crowds, UEL’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Amanda Broderick, spoke about the significance of the day. 

She said,

Your education is a powerful tool that empowers you to navigate an ever-changing landscape. The skills you have acquired – critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability – will serve as compass points in your journey. 

“You have achieved your degrees in a special year. Today, we stand together as a community to celebrate, not only the end of this stage of your academic journey, but also the remarkable progress and transformation that our university has undergone. As we mark our 125th anniversary, we reflect on a century and a quarter of achievement, innovation, and excellence, while looking forward with optimism towards our next chapter. 

“Remember, you are part of a legacy that spans generations. Let the 125-year journey of the University of East London inspire you to leave your mark on the world, just as those before you have done.” 

The ceremonies were a mix of formal proceedings and joyful festivities. Six individuals received honorary degrees including John Viney, Founder and CEO of Leaderverse; Eva Omaghomi, Director of Community Engagement to Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla; Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Queen of Vadorada, India; Professor Dr Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Reece Parkinson, International External Communications Senior Manager at Vertex Pharmaceuticals; and Nero Ughwujabo, Senior Strategy Adviser at the Prince’s Trust. 

Accepting his award, Mr Ughwujabo, the former government special adviser and now a senior strategy adviser at the Prince’s Trust, offered graduates his tips for a successful future, saying, "Stay learning. Follow your passion, celebrate your successes and give back." 

Leading businessman John Viney was recognised for his contributions to the world of leadership and his commitment to nurturing talent. 

He said, “To be successful in the workplace you need a lot of passion and resilience. You must fail over and over again – so often you become familiar but never comfortable with it. Painfully, it’s often in the crucible of failure that we learn the most about ourselves. 

“My challenge to you is to go out there, fail, pick yourself up, and learn more about yourself each time. Be curious, be hungry, be tenacious.” 

UEL’s chancellor for the last seven years, Shabir Randeree CBE, was also honoured, with the Vice-Chancellor and President’s University Medal. The citation for the outgoing Chancellor’s Award called him “the embodiment of excellence and leadership in his role as Chancellor at UEL.” 

He is only the second recipient of the medal, which is given to individuals who have made an extraordinary contribution to the University or demonstrated exceptional work in the community, locally, nationally, or internationally. 

Away from the formal ceremonies, it was very much a time for the thousands of newly graduated students to remember their years at the University. Dominique Tulloch, who graduated with a BA (Hons) Social Work degree, said, “When I think of my UEL journey, I think of the brilliant people that I have met, the friendships that I have made and the new skills that I have learnt during this complex, yet life-changing experience. 

“Through strength and perseverance, each of us have overcome both individual and shared battles to achieve this personal triumph.” 

Rafael Fischer, who graduated with a BSc Architecture degree, said, “UEL gave us an opportunity to learn way more than simply a trade. It is an international hub. It showed us how vast and rich the world is, filled with amazing people. We are from all over the globe, each bringing their unique perspective to the table. 

“To me, UEL has felt like a big family.” 

And graduation week ended on a particularly high note this year, with the announcement on 7 September that UEL has been shortlisted for University of the Year and Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year by the Times Higher Education 2023 awards.