Honorary doctorates
Since 1897, the University of Amsterdam has been awarding honorary degrees as a way of honouring an individual’s outstanding contributions within a specific field or to society at large.
Recent honorary doctorates awarded by the UvA:
- 2024 Folkert Jensma, Zeynep Tufekci
- 2023 Vikram Patel, Christopher Manning
- 2022 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Ugur Sahin en Özlem Türeci
- 2021 Jan Potempa, Shoshana Zuboff
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Honorary doctorates 2011-2020
- 2020 Diana Bianchi, Johan Rockström
- 2019 Naomi Klein
- 2018 Louis Andriessen, Barbara Partee
- 2017 Prof. James Hathaway, Prof. Michèle Lamont, Mr Peter van Rooijen
- 2016 Prof. Shih-Fu Chang, Prof. Andrew P. Feinberg
- 2015 Dr Chryssa Kouveliotou, Ms. Charlotte van Rappard-Boon
- 2014 Prof. James R. Crawford, Prof. Alvin E. Roth
- 2013 R.N. Tata, A. Kuipers
- 2012 Martin van den Brink, Prof. Willem Buiter, Prof. Daniel Dennett, Prof. Peter Zoller
- 2011 Prof. Nadia Rosenthal, Ad van Liempt
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Honorary doctorates 2001-2010
- 2010 Prof. Annette Karmiloff Smith, Prof. Lester Lawrence Lessig
- 2009 Prof. William A. Brock, Prof. Nick J. White
- 2008 Randall Collins and Jules Schelvis
- 2007 Harry Mulisch, Herman Tjeenk Willink and Gro Harlem Brundtland
- 2006 Carl Kesselman, PhD, J. Joosten
- 2005 C. Lanzmann, Prof. D. Kennedy
- 2004 K. Fens
- 2003 Prof. J. Trümper, C. Smit , M. d’Hane-Scheltema
- 2002 I. Macdonald, E. de Jongh, A. Chaskalson
- 2001 Ir N. van Andel, Prof. D. Clines, Dr W. Duisenberg
- 2000 J.H.N. Pameijer, J. Stapel
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Honorary doctorates 1981-2000
- 1999 C. Hoek, Prof. R.D. Rosenberg
- 1998 Prof. W.J. Wilson, J. Friend
- 1997 Dr O.M. von der Gablentz, Prof. R.M. Shiffrin, Prof. E.R. Wolf
- 1996 L.A. de Vries, V. Radhakrishnan
- 1995 F.W. Krabbe, Th. Koulourides, G.L. Durlacher
- 1994 A.H. Kohnstamm, R. Wartena
- 1993 E. Fox-Keller, J.L. Heldring
- 1992 B. Haak, H. Bühlman, J. Kornai, J. Witsen
- 1991 M.A. Oduyoye-Yamoah, A.J. van der Leeuw
- 1990 B.J.H. Haitink, H. Schoorl, P. de Haan, D. Nörr
- 1989 Antoinette Catharina Rijpstra, R. Koselleck
- 1988 J.F. Kermode, Charles B. Timmer, J.B.W. Polak
- 1987 L. Hejdánek
- 1986 H. Reeser
- 1985 A. Horodisch, B. Sapir, J. Landwehr, J.M. den Uyl
- 1984 J.W. Delleman
- 1984 S. van der Meer, J.G.J. Kuiper, G.M. Leonhardt
- 1982 B. Albach, T. Husén, J.K.S. St.Joseph, J.T. Lindhe
- 1981 R.L. Kahn, D.L. Leiker
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Honorary doctorates 1961-1980
- 1980 J. Spaander
- 1979 J. Muller
- 1978 J.E.A.M. van Dijck
- 1978 G. Mbeki, M.V. Wilkes
- 1977 H. Freudenthal, G. Katona
- 1976 P.A. Lehning
- 1975 J.D.B. Mitchell, N.Y. Vlietstra
- 1973 H.J. Krauweel
- 1972 H.S. Houthakker
- 1972 E. Langui
- 1971 O. Isler, F.J. de Jong
- 1970 Jeanne Lampl-De Groot, B.A. Sijes
- 1968 G.E.K. Schmook, W. Gehrels
- 1967 J.H.C. Ruyter, G.L. van Eyndhoven, D.Q.R. Mulock Houwer
- 1966 V.W. van Gogh
- 1962 Geo Widengren, W.C. Treurniet, Donald D. van Slyke, Ernst Crone, L.A.M. Lichtveld
- 1961 N. van der Zijpp
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Honorary doctorates 1945-1960
- 1959 L.H. Bretschneider
- 1958 jhr. D.C. Röell
- 1957 G.L. Gonggrijp, H.E. van Gelder, M. Gutzwiller, J.W. Fullbright
- 1957 J.J. Buskes, N.H. Swellengrebel, W.J. Jongmans
- 1956 E.A. van Beinum
- 1956 A. Pelt
- 1954 Dirk Coster
- 1954 J. Tinbergen
- 1954 Sir Rudolph A. Peters
- 1953 F. Zernike
- 1952 J.H. van Heek
- 1952 C.R.J. Versteegh
- 1951 Johanna Bonne-Wepster, Maria Elizabeth Kronenberg, Th. van Erp
- 1950 Maria Montessori, G. Bolkestein
- 1949 D.W. Woolly
- 1948 Helen Mary Allen-Allen
- 1947 W.L. Mackenzie King
- 1947 Henriëtte Roland Holst-van der Schalk, K. Huysmans, P.N. van Eyck, H. Teirlinck
- 1947 Ch.H. Best
- 1946 G. Mannoury
- 1946 A.F.J. Portielje
- 1946 P.G. van Tienhoven, Elisabeth Dingemanse
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Honorary doctorates 1931-1940
- 1938 H.M. Koningin Wilhelmina
- 1937 G. Duhamel, J.D. Du Toit, H.J.C. Grierson, C.R. de Klerk, B.C. Molkenboer, A. Vermeylen, Th. Frings
- 1936 J.D. Bierens de Haan
- 1935 K.J.L. Alberdingk Thijm, W.J.Th. Kloos
- 1935 W.M. de Vries
- 1934 F.J. Kruitwagen
In 1932, the three-hundredth anniversary of the University of Amsterdam was celebrated in grand style, and 39 honorary doctorates were awarded. Author and journalist Anton Constandse protested against this 'inflation' in a pamphlet.
- 1932: P.J.A. Adriani, D. Anzilotti, L. Aschoff, E. Bartin, C.B. Biezeno, S.L. Brug, F. Brunot, A. Cotton, H. Cushing, G. Friederici, I.H. Gosses, W.C. de Graaff, E. Heldring, T. Herford, H.C. Hoskier, E.R. Jacobson, Korteweg, C. Levaditi, T. Levi Civita, R. Mendez Pidal, S. van Mesdag, H. ter Meulen, J.W. Meyer Ranneft, E.A. Milne, S. Mowinckel, J. Petersen, H. Polak, H. Poutsma, Sir Dennis Robertson, O. Scheel, F. Schmidt Degener, C. Schroeter, W. Sierspinsky, L. Simons, W. de Vlugt, C. van Vollenhoven, A.J.B. Wace, J. Wanner, L. Willems
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Honorary doctorates 1897-1930
- 1928 F.M. Wibaut
- 1926 C.W. Lunsingh Scheurleer
- 1924 A.J.P. van den Broek
- 1923 J.E. Elias
- 1922 J.P. Thijsse
- 1921 J.W. IJzerman
- 1920 J.E. Stumpff
- 1919 J.F.M. Sterck
- 1916 J.J.A.A. Frantzen
- 1914 H.C. Prinsen Geerligs, W.A.P. Schuffner
- 1910 W.F. van Leeuwen
- 1906 W. Bode, A. Bredius, E. Michel, J. Veth
- 1898 M.B. Mendes da Costa
- 1897 M.E.F.T. Dubois