Professor Howard Thomas, Dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law by Newcastle Business School of Northumbria University, UK.  Northumbria University is the 10^th largest higher education provider in the UK.

This is Professor Thomas’ fourth Honorary Degree and is yet another affirmation of his distinguished scholarship in the field of strategic management and his outstanding contributions to the development of management education in general.

In 2007, he was awarded his first honorary degree by the University of Edinburgh, his second in 2008 by Swansea University, in Wales, which is his birthplace, and the third in 2011 by Grenoble School of Management in France.

On his latest accomplishment, Professor Thomas said, “I am humbled, and honoured, by the award of the degree of Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Northumbria University."  "In my interactions with Northumbria University, I have been truly impressed by the quality of the graduates and the practically engaged teaching and research scholarship that has emerged from the Newcastle Business School," he added.

Professor Howard Thomas’s career in business and management education has spanned nearly 50 years.  He has been a business school dean on three continents – University of Illinois, USA; Warwick Business School, UK and Singapore Management University, Asia, and has written over 30 books and 200 articles on strategic management to become one of the most highly-cited scholars in his field.

“Northumbria’s honorary graduates have all made significant achievements in their chosen fields, and their successes stand as an inspiration to our current students to set their own ambitions high as they commence their lives as graduates,” remarked Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey, Northumbia University.

[Photo: Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University]