Prior to next academic celebrations (February 7, 2025), the Faculty Board wants to initiate the process to select an honorary doctor. At each academic celebration, one or more honorary doctors has been named by the Faculty Board after a nomination process among university staff and students through the student union of SöderS.

According to present rules an honorary doctor can be

• A person who has completed a doctoral degree and who has significantly promoted research, education or collaboration at the university.
• A person who by virtue of other, non-academic, outstanding merits and contributions within e.g. culture, public education, pedagogy, civil society, the public sector or business has been significant and inspiring for the university's research, education or collaboration.

Previous honorary doctors have been:

• 2013: Piotr Sztompka
• 2014: Rosa Taikon
• 2015: Nick Couldry
• 2016: Chantal Mouffe
• 2017: (no academic ceremony)
• 2018: Sten Heckscher
• 2019: Diana Mishkova
• 2020: Elena Marushiakova
• 2021: Andrea Petö
• 2022: Rainer Hartleb
• 2023: Julia Kristeva
• 2024: Anna-Lena Laurén

Nominate candidates to honorary doctor no later than May 22, 2024, by emailing your suggestion with a nominating text of maximum one page to the Faculty Board. The Faculty Board decides upon a ranking order of nominees. Nominations to honorary doctor are confidential until decisions have been taken, the person concerned has accepted and a communications plan has been formulated.