Honorary Degree

An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa (Latin: 'for the sake of the honour') is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived the usual requirements (such as matriculation, residence, study and the passing of examinations). The degree itself is typically a doctorate or, less commonly, a master's degree, and may be awarded to someone who has no prior connection with the institution in question.

Usually the degree is conferred as a way of honoring a distinguished visitor's contributions to a specific field, or to society in general. The university often derives benefits by association with the person in question.

Historical Origins and Rational

The practice dates back to the middle ages, when for various reasons a university might be persuaded, or otherwise see fit, to grant exemption from some or all of the usual statutory requirements for award of a degree. The first recorded honorary degree was awarded to Lionel Woodville in the late 1470s by the University of Oxford. He later became Bishop of Salisbury.

In the latter part of the sixteenth century, the granting of honorary degrees became quite common, especially on the occasion of royal visits to Oxford or Cambridge. On the visit of James I to Oxford in 1605, for example, forty-three members of his retinue (fifteen of whom were earls or barons) received the degree of Master of Arts, and the Register of Convocation explicitly states that these were full degrees, carrying the usual privileges (such as voting rights in Convocation and Congregation).

Honorary Degree for Today

• Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
• honorary doctorate in Philosophy in Islamic Thought and Civilisation by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

According to a statement from IIUM today, Abdullah was chosen for his contribution towards promoting good governance within societies and goodwill between people and cultures internationally.

Soon after he assumed leadership of the country, Abdullah made a formal announcement that the true and correct teaching of Islam should serve as the basis and inspiration for good governance and development in Malaysia.

"His promotion of Islam Hadhari or civilisational Islam as the comprehensive approach to the development of mankind, society and country had re-positioned Malaysia as a progressive Islamic state in the newly-globalised world," the statement said.

In addition, since becoming prime minister, Abdullah clamped down on corruption, giving more power to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and making it easier for the public to reveal corrupt practices to the authorities.