An Honorary Degree is Murdoch University’s highest honour, awarded to individuals who have made outstanding public contributions or advanced the application of knowledge in society.
For transcripts of commencement speeches and recipients' acceptance speeches, see the History of Murdoch University Special Collection.
To nominate someone for an Honorary Degree at Murdoch University, please contact the University Secretary's Office at universitysecretary@murdoch.edu.au for a nomination form.
2025 recipients
- Ms Vivienne Hansen, Honorary Doctor of the University
- Mrs Millie Penny AM, Honorary Doctor of the University
- Emeritus Professor Goen Ho, Honorary Doctor of Science
Previous recipients
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Bhutan, Tseyring Pem Wangchuck
- Mr James (Jim) Morrison
- Mr Graham Hardie
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Honourable Justice Ralph Simmonds
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Mr Freddie Yeo
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Adjunct Professor Craig Carter
- Mr Noel Schoknecht
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Mr Graham Hardie
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Ms Aileen Elliot
Honorary Doctor of the University
- The Hon. Mathias Cormann
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Mr Johann van der Merwe
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Professor Lyn Beazley AO FAA FTSE
Honorary Doctor of the University
- His Excellency, Mr Kwok Fook Seng
- Mr David Flanagan AM CitWA
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Mrs Marion Blackwell AM
- Dr Jan Owen AM
- Dr Craig Challen SC OAM
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Maxine Murray
- Philip Green OAM
- Adjunct Professor Ian Edwards
- Dr Neil Ballard
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Emeritus Professor Donald Smart Rodney John Polkinghorne OAM The Honorable Kim Christian Beazley AC
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Adjunct Professor Jim Ellis OAM
Honorary Doctor of the University
- The Honorable Giz Watson
- Her Excellency the Honorable Kerry Sanderson AO
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- Dr Todung Mulya Lubis
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Dr Patrick Heng Meng Loh
Honorary Doctor of the University
- His Excellency Mr Festus Mogae
- John McCarthy AO
- Terry Budge
Honorary Doctor of Economics
- Professor Wendy Carlin
Honorary Doctor of Education
- Dr Elizabeth Constable
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. Chief Justice Wayne Stewart Martin AC
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Emeritus Professor Stuart Harris AO
- Dr Walden Bello
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Professor Howard Thomas
Honorary Doctor of the University
- David Murray AO
- Sydney Corser AO OBE
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Dr Jomo Kwame Sundaram
- Alan Dodge AM
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Emeritus Professor Norman Hall
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Li-bin Zhang
- Ros Worthington OAM
- Malcolm McCusker AO QC
- Alison Gaines
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Dawson S Bradford
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Lloyd Stanley Perron AM CitWA
- Doctor of the University
- His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Dr Kenneth Stephen Chern
Honorary Doctor of Education
- Professor Barry McGaw AO
2009
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- Honourable Michael Kirby
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- Professor Bill Bunbury
Honorary Doctor of Business Administration
- Dr Chong Tau Moh
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Adjunct Professor John Alexander Sweaney
- Catherine Brighid Livingstone
- Associate Professor Alexander George
2008
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Peter Yates
- The Hon. Judge Catherine (Kate) Joan O'Brien
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. Judge Catherine (Kate) Joan O'Brien
Honorary Doctor of Science
- William Leslie Hare
2007
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Dr Godfrey Trevor Barrett-Lennard
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Professor Stuart Macintyre
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Dr Peter Trefort
- Professor Marilyn Renfree
Honorary Masters of Science
- Robert Harold Stranger
2006
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- The Hon. Dr Geoffrey Gallop
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Dr James Leavesley
- Julie Dowling
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Daniel Lunney
2005
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Emeritus Professor Jeffrey Gawthorne
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. Chief Justice Antoinette Kennedy
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Peter Rogers
- Dr Harry Nesbitt
- Dr Annabelle Duncan
2004
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Professor Malcolm Eric Nairn
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- June Marie Williams
- Rory Edward Stanley Argyle
Honorary Doctor of Education
- Noel Gregory Nannup
2003
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. Frederick Michael Chaney AO
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Lieutenant-General John Murray Sanderson AC
Honorary Doctor of Science
- The Hon. Hendy John Cowan
2002
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Professor Ian Mackay Ritchie
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- John Malcolm Fraser
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Professor Bernard Kenneth Bowen AM
2001
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Professor Cornelia (Cora) Val-a-cope Baldock
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Richard Barry Walley OAM
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Professor Ian J Constable AO
2000
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Robert John Inverarity
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Catherine Lim
- Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Curgenven Bolton AO
1999
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. Justice Michael John Murray
1998
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. John Leslie Toohey AC
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Dr Jeiping Wu
- Professor Fiona Juliet Stanley AC
1997
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Janet Holmes à Court AO
1996
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Patricia Jessie Giles
- Emeritus Professor Peter John Boyce AO
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Robert Gordon Becher AM
- Dr Maurice Joseph Mulcahy AM
1995
Honorary Doctor of the University
- The Hon. Sir Ronald Darling Wilson AC, KBE, CMG, QC
- The Hon. Sir Charles Walter Michael Court AK, KCMG, OBE
- Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Curgenven Bolton AO
Honorary Doctor of Laws
- The Hon. Dr Keng Yam Tony Tan
Honorary Master of Science
- Douglas Clarke
1994
Honorary Doctor of Letters
- Elizabeth Durack CMG, OBE
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Professor Prawase Wasi
1993
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Lowitja (Lois) O'Donoghue AC, CBE
1992
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Professor Sukadji Ranuwihardjo
- The Right Hon. Sir William Frederick Payne Heseltine GCB, GCVO, AC, QSO
1991
Honorary Doctor of the University
- The Hon. Kim Edward Beazley AO
1990
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Emeritus Professor Jack Frederick Loneragan
1989
Honorary Doctor of the University
- David Danvers Dunn
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Emeritus Professor Ts'un-yan Liu
1988
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Emeritus Professor Gordon Stephenson CBE
1987
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- His Excellency Professor Gordon S Reid AC
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Ralph Sarich AO
1985
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Meroula (Mollie) Frances Fellowes Lukis OBE
1984
Honorary Doctor of the University
- The Hon. John Leonard Clifton Wickham QC
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Jack Leonard Davis AM, BEM
1983
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Catherine Helen King MBE
Honorary Doctor of Science
- Dame Ida Caroline Mann DBE
1982
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Sir Kenneth Joseph Townsing CMG, ISO
- Emeritus Professor Arthur Beacham OBE
1981
Honorary Doctor of the University
- Irene Adelaide Greenwood AM
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Emeritus Professor John Andrew La Nauze
1980
Honorary Doctor of Veterinary Science
- Emeritus Professor John Andrew La Nauze
1975
Honorary Doctor of the University
- The Hon. Sir Lawrence Walter Jackson KCMG
- Emeritus Professor Sir Noel Bayliss CBE
Honorary Doctor of Literature
- Emeritus Professor Peter Henry Karmel
Honorary Doctor of Veterinary Science
- Professor Kenneth Vincent Finlayson Jubb
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