The University of Antwerp is pleased to invite you to the official conferral of the honorary degrees on Thursday 20 March 2025 at 4 p.m.
Our honorary doctors will be teaching a masterclass.
Hetty Helsmoortel and Lieven Scheire
Honorary degree for General Merit
Hetty Helsmoortel and Lieven Scheire in recognition of their common mission in life: making science accessible and appealing to all.
Helsmoortel draws huge audiences to her shows about science. She also regularly joins current affairs programmes to explain complex topics in simple terms.
Flanders was introduced to Scheire through the cabaret group Neveneffecten (Side effects). He later presented, among others, the TV programmes Scheire en de Schepping (Scheire and the Creation) and Team Scheire, where he made science easy to understand through his humour and clarity.
Together, they are the driving forces behind the popular podcast Nerdland. They both are also instrumental in supporting the Nerdland Festival.
Nominator: Rector Herwig Leirs
Prof. Jure Leskovec
Honorary degree in Science
Prof. Jure Leskovec, in recognition of his research contributions in the fields of social networks, data mining and machine learning, and computational biomedicine.
Stanford University.
Nominator: Prof. Bart Goethals
Prof. Elizabeth Povinelli
Honorary degree in Arts
Prof. Elizabeth Povinelli, in recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to critical theory, anthropology, decolonization, and her profound commitment to the arts. Professor Povinelli is being honored not only for her exceptional academic achievements but also for her artistic and activist endeavors. Her ability to bridge these fields with equal rigor and dedication, and the innovative crossovers she creates between them, exemplify the very essence of interdisciplinary excellence.
Columbia University.
Nominator: Prof. Pascal Gielen
Prof. Foster Provost
Honorary degree in Business and Economics
Prof. Foster Provost, in recognition of his expertise in the world of data science and AI for business, for having made substantial contributions across research, practical applications, and business thought leadership.
Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
Nominator: Prof. David Martens
Prof. Peter Stone
Honorary degree in Design Sciences
Prof. Peter Stone, in recognition of his expertise in public archaeology and contribution to protection of heritage in times of conflict.
School of Arts and Cultures, Newcastle University.
Nominator: Prof. Suzie Thomas