Two to receive honorary doctorates in 2004

University of Canterbury

news release
23 January 2004

Two to receive honorary doctorates in 2004

Former Prime Minister and WTO director-general Mike Moore and the “father of forestry education” in New Zealand, Emeritus Professor Peter McKelvey, are to receive honorary doctorates from the University of Canterbury this year.

Rt Hon Mike Moore will receive a Doctor of Commerce (honoris causa) and Professor McKelvey will be presented with a Doctor of Science (honoris causa). The degrees will be conferred at the University’s April graduation ceremonies.

Trade has been a key interest in Mr Moore’s long and distinguished political career. He served as Minister of Overseas Trade and Marketing from 1984 to 1990 and as Prime Minister from September to November 1990. He was the longest serving member of the New Zealand Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade.

From 1999 to 2002 Mr Moore was director-general of the World Trade Organisation. His three-year term coincided with momentous changes in the global economy and multilateral trading system and he played a crucial role in getting the Doha Round underway. During his tenure he made significant changes to the way the WTO operates.

Mr Moore has been honoured by a number of governments and in 1999 was awarded New Zealand’s highest honour, the Order of New Zealand.

Mr Moore is an adjunct professor at La Trobe and Adelaide universities and a visiting professor at Birmingham University. He is also an adviser to several governments and acts as a Special Trade Envoy for the New Zealand Government.

Professor McKelvey graduated with a BSc from the then Canterbury University College in 1949 before heading to Edinburgh University where he completed a BSc (For) degree in 1951. In 1966 he was working as Conservator of Forests in Wellington when he was approached for the position of Foundation Professor of a new School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury.

The following year he took up the challenge of establishing, planning, building, staffing and then running the new school. His first priority was to help an architect design a suitable School of Forestry building which was officially opened in time for the first intake of forestry students in February 1970.

Professor McKelvey headed the school for 18 years until his retirement in 1985 and is credited with developing first-class forestry education in New Zealand. He was awarded an OBE for services to forestry and forestry education in 1985 and was made a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.

ENDS

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