Honorary Graduates 2014

Dr Ruprecht von Heusinger
Master of Arts

After graduating from The University of Buckingham (Economics 1993), Ruprecht von Heusinger received a MSc in Economics and Philosophy from the London School of Economics in 1994. In 1998 he obtained his PhD in Economics at the Cracow University of Economics, Poland.

Since then Dr von Heusinger has combined his passion for Central and Eastern Europe with Banking. He held various positions in banking in Germany and Ireland.

Currently he lives in Vienna, working in infrastructure finance for Kommunalkredit Austria AG.

As well as contemporary Art and Literature, Dr von Heusinger enjoys training his Haflinger ponies.

Mrs Charlotte Walsh
Doctor of Laws

Charlotte Walsh was Dean of Law at Buckingham from 2003 – 2008. She played a key part in the strategic and decision making process of the University as a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Executive team and University Senate, successfully helping to steer the University through its first external Quality Assurance Audit in 2003. She was a passionate champion for the interests of the Law School and was devoted to the welfare and success of its students and staff.

An ardent educationist, she has experience at all levels. After teaching on St Helena with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) she gained an MA in Modern History at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, before qualifying as a teacher with a PGCE from University of London, teaching for several years before turning her attention to Law. She combined family life with gaining a First Class LLB (Hons) from the Polytechnic of Central London (PCL) before embarking on an academic career at Buckingham in 1991. She quickly became involved in curriculum development and gained a reputation as a popular and dedicated teacher, lecturing in the Law of Torts and Criminal Law for many years.

She is a passionate exponent of the unique nature and opportunities provided by The University of Buckingham, instigating several successful marketing initiatives and links in particular with Malaysia, Bahamas and Pakistan. She was instrumental in setting up the LLB (Hons) by Part-time Study Course and was its Director for ten years before taking over as Dean of Law. She maintains a connection with that Course as a part-time lecturer and with University alumni all over the world.

Read Charlotte Walsh’s acceptance speech.

Professor Mary Beard FBA OBE
Doctor of Letters

Professor Mary Beard is one of Britain’s best-known Classicists – a distinguished Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Newnham College. She has written numerous books on the Ancient World, including the 2008 Wolfson Prize-winner, Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town. In addition Professor Beard has presented a highly-acclaimed TV series, Meet the Romans and a recent documentary on Caligula. She is also Classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement and writes an engaging blog, A Don’s Life. She is a Fellow of the British Academy and was made an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2013 for services to Classical scholarship. Professor Beard’s forthcoming book is on the subject of Roman Laughter.

Dr Hermann Hauser FRS CBE
Doctor of Science

Serial Entrepreneur and Co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners, Dr Hermann Hauser has wide experience in developing and financing companies in the information technology sector. He co-founded a number of high-tech companies including Acorn Computers which spun outARM, E-trade UK, Virata and Cambridge Network. Subsequently Dr Hauser became Vice President of research at Olivetti. During his tenure at Olivetti, he established a global network of research laboratories. Since leaving Olivetti, he has founded over 20 technology companies. In 1997, he co-founded Amadeus Capital Partners. At Amadeus he invested in CSR, Solexa, Icera, Xmos and Cambridge Broadband.

Dr Hauser is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Institute of Physics and of the Royal Academy of Engineering and an Honorary Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge. In 2001 he was awarded an Honorary CBE for ‘innovative service to the UK enterprise sector’. In 2004 he was made a member of the Government’s Council for Science and Technology and in 2013 he was made a Distinguished Fellow of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.

Dr Hermann Hauser has honorary doctorates from the Universities of Loughborough, Bath, Anglia Ruskin and Strathclyde.