By James Rougvie

THE PRINCIPAL of Dundee College, a Nobel Prize-winner, a civil engineer and a founding father of cinema animation were awarded honorary doctorates of laws by Dundee University yesterday.

Dundee College principal Ian Ovens was described by vice- principal Professor James Calderhead as a visionary leader.

He has been head of the college since 1996, after holding the same post at Angus College for three-and-a-half years.

Under his guidance, the college has steadily raised its reputation and last year had what is recognised as the best inspection report a Scots college has ever received.

A graduate of Strathclyde University, Mr Ovens worked in the electricity industry before he become a lecturer.

Much of his career was devoted to customised training for companies and the public sector.

In 2002 he was awarded an OBE for services for further education.

Prof Calderhead said his vision for the college was to promote access and inclusion for people of all ages, and to orientate training programmes to the needs of the local economy.

Professor Zhores Alferov, winner of the Nobel Prize for physics in 2000, is a semiconductor specialist and director of the Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

He was also honoured by St Andrews University on Tuesday.

Canadian-born civil engineer Dr Suzanne Lacasse is managing director of the leading Norwegian Geotechnical Institute.

She speaks seven languages, has worked extensively abroad and has over 150 contributions to professional journals and conferences.

Jimmy Taru Murakami, an artist and animation director/producer, has made an exceptional contribution to the film and TV industry.

His five-decade career includes directing the 1985 production of the Raymond Briggs story When the Wind Blows.

His accolades have includes a BAFTA win and Oscar nomination and he was supervising director on film favourite The Snowman.

The degrees conferred yesterday included arts and social sciences, education and social work, engineering and physical sciences and Duncan of Jordanstone College.

The university also saw the first seven students complete its BSc (Hons) in neurosciences.

Jewellery designer Dr Sandra Wilson, of Duncan of Jordanstone, received her doctorate, which included exploring the relationships between craft and science.

Two students who helped her also graduated, Scott Millar with first-class BDes honours in jewellery and metalwork and Emily Walters with first-class BSc honours in interactive media.

The first students to complete a new degree combining fine art and philosophy also graduated.