Pro-Vice-Chancellor, it is my great privilege to present to you, Dr Danny Sriskandarajah for the award of Doctor of Policy Research and Practice in recognition of his work as a leading champion of active citizenship and of the role of civil society organisations as defenders of human rights and catalysts for progressive social change.

Born in Sri Lanka, he moved with his Sri Lankan Tamil parents (who are here today in the audience) to Australia where he graduated from the University of Sydney in 1998. The first Asian Australian to win a Rhodes scholarship, he completed an MPhil in Development Studies and DPhil on inequalities and ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka at the University of Oxford in 2005.

After working for the Institute for Public Policy Research - and still only 33 - he was appointed Director General of the Royal Commonwealth Society, the youngest person and the first non-Briton to head this 140-year-old institution.

From 2013 to 2018 he took up the post of Secretary General of CIVICUS, the leading global alliance of civil society organisations. While there he also served on high level UN panels looking into the future of humanitarian finance and digital cooperation.

In 2019 he took on the role of Chief Executive of a crisis rocked Oxfam GB and successfully helped it hold on to its position as one of the world’s leading champions for global social justice and poverty reduction.

Danny was appointed to his current position as Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation in 2024, from where he has emerged as progressive commentator on UK public policy and global affairs, appearing on BBC’s Any Questions, Hard Talk, the Today Programme, as well the Now Show and Richard & Judy. He has spoken at over 1,000 events in some 70 countries, including at the United Nations General Assembly, Davos, and the Edinburgh, Glastonbury and Hay festivals.

In his spare time, Danny is a trustee of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation, sits on the UN’s High Level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs, and has advisory roles with the Quadrature Climate Foundation and the Postcode Lottery. His third and most prominent book 'Power to the People' - subtitled 'Use Your Voice, Change the World' – was widely acclaimed including by David Miliband, Yanis Varoufakis, Caroline Lucas and Mary Robinson.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Danny happens to be the same age as the University of Bath’s own Centre for Development Studies, which last year celebrated its 50th anniversary. He and the CDS share a deep commitment to moving beyond paternalistic North-South international development relations to inclusive collective action rooted in solidarity and internationalism, particularly through promotion of strong, plural and vibrant civil society.

It is therefore my honour to present to you Dr Danny Sriskandarajah for the degree of Doctor of Policy Research and Practice, honoris causa.