Celebrating 75 years of achievement

Photo opportunity Location: University of Teesside Gateway, off Borough Road, Middlesbrough. Time: 10.05am, Tuesday November 22.

The University of Teesside has reached a landmark in 2005, as the institution celebrates the 75th anniversary of the opening of Constantine College, the original predecessor of the University.

Constantine College was founded by an £80,000 donation from the family of local shipping magnate Joseph Constantine. It was officially opened in July 1930 by the then Prince of Wales. At first, Constantine was a further and higher education college, with some students as young as 15. It concentrated initially on metallurgy, engineering and chemistry.

Over 70 years later, the institution has been transformed. The University now has over 20,000 full and part-time students, and offers a diverse range of subjects, including Crime Scene Science, Computer Games Design, Sport and Exercise and Physiotherapy, amongst many others. Over £70m has been invested in the single-site campus, with two purpose-built buildings for Health & Social Care and Sport & Exercise.

Next week over 2,000 students will celebrate their graduations from the University in ten ceremonies at Middlesbrough Town Hall. They will be accompanied by four and a half thousand guests. The ceremonies begin with the traditional academic procession on Tuesday 22 November, going from the University entrance, along Albert Road to Middlesbrough Town Hall ( please see photo opportunity above).

The week will conclude with the Honorary Graduates ceremony on Friday 25 November, where five leading individuals will receive academic recognition for their various achievements. The Honorary degrees will be awarded by Lord Sawyer of Darlington, in his first ceremony as University Chancellor. The Honorary Graduates are:

Mr Bob Champion MBE, Doctor of Laws. Mr Champion overcame cancer and went on to win the Grand National in 1981. He founded the Bob Champion Cancer Trust which has raised ten million towards Cancer research.

Ms Geraldine Peacock CBE, Doctor of Laws. Ms Peacock lectured in Social Administration at Teesside Polytechnic in the mid-1970s and went on to become Chief Executive of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. She is now Chair of the Charity Commission.

Mr Bryan Hanson OBE, Master of Laws. Mr Hanson is a former leader of Hartlepool Council, and is now Chair of Cleveland College of Art & Design’s Board of Governors and a Chair of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust.

Ms Hannana Siddiqui, Master of Arts. Ms Siddiqui has lived in the Tees Valley and is the founder and joint co-ordinator of the Southall Black Sisters. This national organisation supports Afro-Caribbean women on a range of major policy issues.

Mr Geoffrey Muirhead CBE, Doctor of Business Administration. Mr Muirhead is a Teesside Civil Engineering graduate. He now works as Group Chief Executive of Manchester Airport Group.

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