UNRISD Director receives a D.Litt degree from Rhodes University, South Africa.

On Friday 13 April 2007, UNRISD Director, Thandika Mkandawire, received a D.Litt degree from Rhodes University, South Africa. He was formally conferred with the Senior Doctorate degree (D.Litt) in Development Studies at the graduation ceremony of Rhodes University. In the natural sciences, the degree is designated D.Sc. The Senior Doctorate degree is based on the examination of a collection of the works of the recipient of someone who, in the estimation of the Senate of the university, is an internationally recognised and reputable scholar. Thereafter the selected works of the candidate are submitted to an international panel of assessors.

Fifteen of his works, drawn from a twenty year period, were submitted to an international panel of five examiners drawn from Europe, Asia, and Africa. All the assessors enthusiastically recommended the award of the Senior Doctorate degree to Thandika. “The body of work submitted... covering about two decades of consistent, systematic and sustained academic contribution in the fields of Development Economics, Development Studies and Political Economy constitute a significant contribution to the advancement of learning in these fields,” an examiner noted. In the words of another, the “university’s reputation would be enhanced by its public recognition of the intellectual qualities of one of Africa’s most respected scholars.”