On Monday I had the honour of being installed as Chancellor of the University of Hull. Over the following four days I presented 2418 degrees to students in a range of departments including the Hull York Medical School.
My role is purely ceremonial but it was wonderful to see those graduates being celebrated by family and friends whose pride filled the huge auditorium with joy.
In the same week the Prime Minister was telling the Daily Telegraph about the “false dream of going to university.” There will will always be those who yearn to return to the days when the prospect of a university education was restricted to a privileged few.
From where I was sitting this week, the dream seemed very genuine and based on actual academic achievement.
